Prepping for the 504 plan meeting

Learn

• Ask for an invite

  Walking into a room full of school staff can feel like a lot. But no one at that table knows your child the way you do. Your input at 504 meetings can help the team think about how to support your child.

  Federal law doesn’t require schools to invite families to 504 plan meetings. But most schools are happy to have you at the table, and most will invite you. You can:

  • Reach out to the school and make sure you have an invite.

  • Ask about the meeting early in the school year. That way, you can get it on your calendar, and any new supports can start sooner.

• What to review before the meeting

  There are a few things you’ll want to gather before the meeting:

  • A copy of your child’s current 504 plan (if your child already has one)

  • Recent progress reports and report cards

  • Samples of homework and tests

  • Any notes you received from the teacher

  • Your own notes and observations

  Review what you have, and look for issues that need attention. Ask yourself:

  • Where is your child making progress or still struggling?

  • Which of the supports and services are (or are not) helpful?

  • Are there any new challenges to report?

• Think about accommodations

  There are many accommodations (or changes to how kids are taught) that can help students with 504 plans.

  To help think about what your child may need:

  • Consider all learning challenges, including organization and study skills.

  • Explore the lists below of common classroom accommodations for ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia.

  If your child already has accommodations:

  • Do you think they’re effective?

  • If not, are there different things the school might try?

  • Does any assistive technology need to be updated or changed?

  • The 504 team also needs to think about any new instruction and tools that might be helpful for your child.

• Help the team get to know your child

  The school will put in place a 504 team to develop and update the plan. Help the teachers and school staff on the team get to know your child. During the 504 plan meeting:

  • Share what you know about your child’s personality, interests, strengths, and struggles.

  • Describe how your child manages homework and studying for tests.

  • Tell the team about any activities outside of school.

  • Share any strategies that help your child at home.

  This will give the school insight into your child’s abilities and interests. It will also remind the team to tailor the 504 plan to your child as an individual.