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Section 504 Accommodations and Bridging Support from High School and College

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October 10, 2023

Hello! I’m...

Sheri Ogden

Director of Special Programs

Agenda

• What is the difference between Special Education and Section 504
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• Accommodations in the classroom and State Assessments
• Requesting accommodations for College Board and ACT
• Bridging accommodations from High School to College

Section 504

Special Education

• Individualized and provides specially designed instruction
• Must meet disability criteria set by IDEA
• Full Individualized Evaluation
• Annual ARD meetings with individual education plan (IEP)

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• Accommodations to provide equal access to instruction
• Disability that interferes with access to learning
• Evaluation process considers medical information, social/behavioral information and how that impacts the academics
• 504 Meetings held periodically

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Determining Services

Classroom vs. Assessment Accommodations

Classroom

Assessment

• Access to Instruction
• Presentation changes
• Environment for Instruction
• Setting changes
• Responses to Instruction
• Production changes
• Schedule for Instruction
• Timing changes

• Access to Materials
• Environment for Assessment
• Response to Demonstrate Knowledge
• Allotted Time

College Board/ACT Accommodations

• Students MUST use their accommodations independently & routinely on state assessments to apply for College Board (PSAT, SAT, & AP) and ACT assessments.
• Parental Consent is required for students under 18 to share confidential information (FIE, IEP, or SSP)
• Campus Testing Coordinator will apply on your behalf after consent is granted.
• College Board/ACT will decide which accommodations are approved/denied. BISD cannot guarantee the accommodations requested.
• Once approved, accommodations are valid through high school.
• Students are required to be offered accommodations oncel granted.

Difference between High School and College Accommodations

Legal Shift

• Special Education entitlements end upon Graduation. There is no Specially Designed Instruction in college.
• Accommodations and entitlements are served under ADA/ADAAA - Section 504
• Documented disability and current need
• Reasonable and appropriate
• FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s educational records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level.

The student becomes the driver.

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Students entering college MUST be prepared to be their own advocates, request accommodations and handle college business.

Disclosing the Disability

High School

College

• High School identifies student with disability
• May conduct assessment to identify disability
• Decisions are made by committee including parents

• Student must self disclose and request services
• Safeguards protest student confidentiality
• Provides access to programs and services
• Inform students of process

High School

College

Communications

• Student provides accommodation notice (letter) to instructor
• Student schedules exams, communicates any concerns
• Faculty and staff communicate with student only.

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• School staff and parents communicate about ARD/504 meetings and plans
• Special Education staff and parents finalize and approve accommodations
• School staff distribute plans

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Accommodations

High School

College

• Goal is success
• Special Education can choose to modify curriculum
• May provide certain non-academic services such as behavioral supports

• Goal is access
• No alteration of admission criteria, curriculum, or course objectives
• No modified code of conduct
• Provides access to academic programs and services

Colleges are NOT required to:

• Reduce or waive admission standards or the essential requirements of a course or program
• Conduct testing of learning, psychological or medical disabilities
• Provide personal attendants, devices or services
• Modify code of conduct or accommodate for behavior
• Prepare IEPs or 504 plans for students