Unlike with Individualized Health Care Plans or Emergency Action Plans, school employees who fail to follow the 504 plan are in violation of federal law, which carries potential liability for the school district. If your child has a food allergy that may cause severe, life-threatening reactions, you should work with the school to develop a 504 plan. Should every child with food allergies have a 504? Section 504 states: “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 706(8) of this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance…” This means that any school that receives federal funding must honor these plans and offer “reasonable accommodations” to qualified students. The name refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the federal law that protects students with disabilities. Putting it all in writing holds the school and its employees accountable. This legally-binding written document tells school employees – from the classroom teacher to the lunchroom aide – how to keep your child safe on the way to school, in the classroom or during school activities. The 504 plan is a contract between the school district and your family. What do you do if your child’s school violates the plan? 1. Can you include accommodations for other disabilities like ADHD or autism in the same 504 plan?ġ6. How is a 504 different from an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and an Individualized Health Care Plan (IHCP)?ġ5. Do I need a 504 if the school has a food allergy policy in place?ġ4. Should I get a 504 for daycare or preschool?ġ3. Are private schools required to offer and honor 504 plans?ġ2. Can you incorporate language about “inclusion,” meaning the child should not feel isolated because of his or her food allergies?ġ1. What if the school says my child doesn’t need one?ĩ. Are after-school activities covered in the 504 plan?Ĩ. Should every child with food allergies have a 504?ħ. Like her mother, Debby is a mom on a mission to keep kids safe in the classroom and help others with the 504 process.Ģ. Now retired, her mother runs her own consulting business as a special education advocate for students with disabilities. For more than two decades, Madge Beerman worked as a special education case manager and counselor in the Chicago Public Schools system and sat in on every 504 meeting for her school, listening to countless discussions between parents and administrators about students’ disabilities. To help you get started, we talked to a food allergy mom who is uniquely qualified.ĭebby Beerman, an attorney and mother of three food-allergic children, walked into her first 504 meeting armed with legal documentation, printouts of policies and a secret weapon - her mother. It means taking every step to keep your child safe, and that might include getting a 504 plan. When you have a child with severe food allergies, heading back to school means so much more than just buying a new backpack.
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