What is a 504 plan?

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• Definition of a 504 plan

  Maybe a teacher brought it up, or a friend said it helped their child. Here’s what a 504 plan actually is.

  A 504 plan removes barriers to learning for a student with a disability. It’s a formal plan that:

  • Tailors support so a student can learn alongside their peers in general education.

  • Provides accommodations that don’t change what a student learns, just how they learn it.

  • Can include a range of supports, from low-tech changes (like sitting near the teacher) to high-tech tools (like AI-powered text summaries).

  Many kids have a 504 plan. It’s a common school support for kids with ADHD and other kinds of disabilities.

• Removing barriers to general education

  A 504 plan is designed to give students with disabilities or medical conditions equal access to the same classes and lessons as other students (called the general education curriculum). The plan outlines how the school will provide supports and remove barriers to learning.

  504 plans are not part of special education. Students who qualify for special education have a different kind of plan called an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

• Accommodations are the main tool

  Classroom accommodations are often a big part of 504 plans. Examples include:

  • changes to the learning environment, like taking tests in a quiet space

  • changes that involve timing, like getting more time to complete tests or tasks

  • changes in how information is presented, like listening to audiobooks instead of reading the text

  • changes in how a student shows what they know, like talking through a response instead of writing or typing it

  • changes to instructional supports, like getting outlines of lessons

  Accommodations address specific challenges. For example, a child who has trouble with handwriting or typing might be allowed to use assistive technology, like speech-to-text.

• Services and modifications

  A 504 plan can include two other kinds of supports, but these are less common:

  • Services: A 504 plan typically doesn’t provide individualized instruction. But in some cases, students may get related services through a 504 plan, like occupational therapy or counseling services.

  • Modifications: These are changes to what a student is taught or is expected to learn. It’s rare for 504 plans to provide modifications. More often, 504 plans keep the same core content but change the amount of work, like only doing the odd-numbered items on a homework sheet.