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Benefits Of A 504 Plan With The School

Breila

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Breila Explorer
Breila
Posted

I tried to search, but "504" is too short a word, LOL.

I'm trying to determine what the benefit to my son would be of seeking a 504 with the school. As it stands right now, his teacher's have all been very accommodating and willing to work with us, and I'm providing all of his food. I do know that that I technically have the right to request appropriate meals for him through the school lunch program, but again, I'm not sure that there would be any benefit to this other than to raise awareness, yk? I fear that they would try to feed him salad every day or something, LOL.

Anyway, I stumbled across a site this morning detailing how and what to ask for with a 504 for someone with Celiac. I guess I'm asking for opinions as to whether this is something I should do vs. something I can do.

What do you think?

Amy

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home-based-mom Contributor
home-based-mom
Posted
I tried to search, but "504" is too short a word, LOL.

I'm trying to determine what the benefit to my son would be of seeking a 504 with the school. As it stands right now, his teacher's have all been very accommodating and willing to work with us, and I'm providing all of his food. I do know that that I technically have the right to request appropriate meals for him through the school lunch program, but again, I'm not sure that there would be any benefit to this other than to raise awareness, yk? I fear that they would try to feed him salad every day or something, LOL.

Anyway, I stumbled across a site this morning detailing how and what to ask for with a 504 for someone with Celiac. I guess I'm asking for opinions as to whether this is something I should do vs. something I can do.

What do you think?

Amy

It's my understanding that you should have one in place *before* you need it. "As it stands right now" could change tomorrow, next week, next month, and definitely next year.

Continuing to provide all of his food is far and away the safest route to take. :)

Kibbie Contributor
Kibbie
Posted
I tried to search, but "504" is too short a word, LOL.

I'm trying to determine what the benefit to my son would be of seeking a 504 with the school. As it stands right now, his teacher's have all been very accommodating and willing to work with us, and I'm providing all of his food. I do know that that I technically have the right to request appropriate meals for him through the school lunch program, but again, I'm not sure that there would be any benefit to this other than to raise awareness, yk? I fear that they would try to feed him salad every day or something, LOL.

Anyway, I stumbled across a site this morning detailing how and what to ask for with a 504 for someone with Celiac. I guess I'm asking for opinions as to whether this is something I should do vs. something I can do.

What do you think?

Amy

Let me say that I was a public school teacher before I had my daughter. Because of this I know WAY too much about how school is run and it scares me :) That being said I am already planning on requesting a 504 plan for her BEFORE she starts kinder. (You want this in place as soon as possible and it takes some time to get in place so the sooner you get it started the better)

Celiac Disease is considered "Other Health Impairment" and children will qualify for 504 plans just like a child with Diabetes and food allergies qualifies for a 540 plan... though you may be in for a "fight" in some districts because it is up to the District to decide (even with a Dr. note).

This website should give you some more information.

Remember 504 plans are reviewed and updated each year so they can change with the childs ability. A Celiac 504 plan for a 5 year old is going to look completely different than one for at 14 year old. Because of the national school lunch program schools must provide Open Original Shared Linkfor Celiac kids (free if you qualify) I personally don't trust the schools to do it correctly so instead of demanding that they will provide a gluten free meal for my daughter but its leverage for if/when they tell you no for a 504 plan :)

The benefit to a 504 plan is that its a legal document which the school HAS to follow. Agreements made with teachers have no legal standing and do not follow kids from classroom to classroom. 504 plans are in place no matter what the activity, no matter who the teacher etc. They also are honored by universities :) So when the time comes you can have being placed in a dorm that has a kitchen as a part of the 504 plan and the school must follow that... the later you wait for a plan like this the harder it is go get one.

Things that I am looking to get on my daughters 504 plan:

1. Access to the bathroom when she needs to go as well as washing hands any time she wants

2. Lunch room table cleaned off with a CLEAN cloth not one that has crumbs all over it from the previous table

3. Classroom desks washed daily

4. Desks to be cleaned off with soap after arts/crafts/ snacks

5. Extended time on homework assignments in the case that she is glutened

6. 24 hours advanced notice of special treats in the classroom (this way I can provide a similar alternative)

7. All Children to wash hands after meals/crafts/art projects

8. Non food rewards to be used in the classroom

9. Access to a refrigerator and microwave for her lunches.

10. Only food that has been approved by me may be eaten by my daughter (this will change as she gets older)

Hope that helps.

Breila Explorer
Breila
Posted
  • Author

Thanks Kibbie. I guess I'm just so pleased that the school and the teachers have been so accommodating so far that I don't want to put them on the defensive. Can you tell I'm just so NOT a confrontational person? LOL. I know I need to work on that. OTOH, the principal at our school is just amazing, I can't imagine that he would take offense, shrug. Some of the things that I worried about though were:

-other teachers. Though DS is getting much better about recognizing what he can and can't have, I worry that a substitute or other authority figure will unknowingly gluten him.

-emergency situations. This is my biggie concern. What if they end up at school past the normal end of the day (it happened a few years ago with an unexpected ice storm, several schools ended up keeping the kids at the school for the night, and several of the schools who opted to send the kids home ended up with kids on buses for 8 hours or more)? Will they be able to provide food for him?

-a future teacher not taking the situation seriously. With the rise in food allergies and issues, I've also seen a trend towards some people believing that parents are overreacting, and I'm worried that one day we'll end up with a teacher that thinks she knows better than me, yk?

Oh, I couldn't get your first link to open. Is the link good, or is the site just down for the moment?

Thank you again

Amy

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

Are you likely to be able to get a 504 plan with a pediatricians note if the diagnosis is based on response to diet and not tests? Are they likely to get that involved in the diagnosis? Would trying to get a 504 plan open a whole can of worms for me?

Breila Explorer
Breila
Posted
  • Author
Are you likely to be able to get a 504 plan with a pediatricians note if the diagnosis is based on response to diet and not tests? Are they likely to get that involved in the diagnosis? Would trying to get a 504 plan open a whole can of worms for me?

I honestly have no idea, we have a traditional diagnosis, if you will, so I haven't given it thought. I would imagine that if your ped. was on board with the diagnosis, that should be enough. Though, if it has been diagnosed as an intolerance vs. celiac, that may make a difference in what you are entitled to, ie. under the ADA.

  • 2 weeks later...
DanaDee Newbie
DanaDee
Posted

I don't think so, I think you need the actual medical diag. We are diaged based on response to gluten free diet, I wouldn't do the scope on my daughter yet, she was two, and I was in desperation, I reached that point where I couln't wait for one more test result to come back I had to get her bowles under control and get her healthy. My FIL and DH have the disease, so I just went gluten free for now ( 100% responsive to diet, there is no doubt in my mind she has it). With all the being said, our Pediatric GI said I would need to do a gluten challenge that summer before we start school so I can get the official diag for a 504 Plan. The 504 Plan will also follow her through college.

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Kibbie Contributor
Kibbie
Posted
Are you likely to be able to get a 504 plan with a pediatricians note if the diagnosis is based on response to diet and not tests? Are they likely to get that involved in the diagnosis? Would trying to get a 504 plan open a whole can of worms for me?

It depend son the district.... some districts (though most do not) can deny a 504 plan even with a Dr. note.... but in most cases a Dr. note and RX would be sufficient enough

Kibbie Contributor
Kibbie
Posted
-other teachers. Though DS is getting much better about recognizing what he can and can't have, I worry that a substitute or other authority figure will unknowingly gluten him.

-emergency situations. This is my biggie concern. What if they end up at school past the normal end of the day (it happened a few years ago with an unexpected ice storm, several schools ended up keeping the kids at the school for the night, and several of the schools who opted to send the kids home ended up with kids on buses for 8 hours or more)? Will they be able to provide food for him?

-a future teacher not taking the situation seriously. With the rise in food allergies and issues, I've also seen a trend towards some people believing that parents are overreacting, and I'm worried that one day we'll end up with a teacher that thinks she knows better than me, yk?

Oh, I couldn't get your first link to open. Is the link good, or is the site just down for the moment?

Thank you again

Amy

I'm not a confrontational person but I was a teacher and know way to much about what MIGHT happen (as you say in emergency situations or with other teachers) I am going address the 504 issue saying things like:

I want everyone that comes in contact with her to be on the same page from Substitutes to school nurses and I want a 504 in place so that later in life in the event that she goes way to school we have a 504 plan that a university will accept to give her accommodations (like a dorm with a kitchen etc). I will only get confrontational when they tell me know... unfortunately in the district I live in its going to be a fight.... there are currently 0 504 plans for any students and they have denied 2 this year 1 for a child who has diabetes and had a Dr. note requesting a 504 plan and another for a child with a slight physical handicap (again with a Dr. note) so I'm starting out prepared for battle :)

As far as the first link goes I'll find it again as soon as I post this and fix it on my original post!

Kibbie Contributor
Kibbie
Posted

darn I thought I could edit a post... must be a different msg board... anyhow here is the correct Open Original Shared Link

Breila Explorer
Breila
Posted
  • Author

Thanks Kibbie. I've been in contact with the school for the last week and they have been great about working with me. We are putting an IHP (Individualized Health Plan) in place that will hold with any public school (including universities) within the state. It isn't as all encompassing as the 504, and they did give me the option of a 504, but the school system requires academic testing to show that the disability does not also include a learning disability. I don't agree with that, but it is their policy and I don't have any desire to put my son through that many tests to prove he isn't learning disabled, yk?

The IHP is as valid as a 504 as long as he is in a public school in our state, so I'm satisfied with that.

Thanks for all your help.

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