What is it?
Similarities
- Both: Provide free appropriate
public education. (FAPE)
- Both: Evaluations are the
responsibility of the school and
are performed at no expense to
student/parent.
- Both: Have due process
- Both: Need some form of
evaluation.
- Both: Requires district and
schools to use information from
a variety of sources.
- Both: Reviewed each year and
a reevaluation is done every
three years. (504-rules vary by
state)
Sources
https://dredf.org/advocacy/com
parison.html
https://www.education.com/ref
erence/article/section-504-
idea-comparison-chart/
https://www.understood.org/en
/school-learning/special-
services/504-plan/the-
difference-between-ieps-and-
504-plans
IDEA and
504 IDEA
Section 504 of the The Individuals with
Section 504
rehabilitation act of Disabilities Education A Parent’s Guide
1973 is a major federal Act (IDEA) is a federal
legislative act that is law that requires
designed to protect the schools to serve the
civil rights of educational needs of
individuals with eligible students with
disabilities. Its goal is disabilities. But
to prevent any understand that not
discrimination against every child with
individuals with learning and attention
disabilities who are issues qualifies for
otherwise qualified. special education
Which means a person services under IDEA. It
with a disability must is to protect the rights The goal of this pamphlet is to
qualified to do of children with educate and inform parents
something before the
presence of a disability
disabilities to ensure
students with
and their children, the rights
can be a factor in disabilities to have they have under either Section
discrimination. access to a free and
504 or IDEA, based on their
appropriate public
Schools must afford disability. It is important to
education. Schools are
students with
required to provide understand and figure out
disabilities with equal
special education in the which one is best for your
opportunities “to obtain
least restrictive
the same result, to gain
environment, which
child. Although Section 504
the same benefit, or to
means schools must and IDEA are significantly
City, ST ZIP Code
reach the same level of
teach students with different, they both provide
Company Name
achievement” as
Street Address
disabilities in general
students without
education classroom
free appropriate public
disabilities.
whenever possible. education.
By: Danielle Saltrick
This is a great
 IDEA
Requirements: Requires a written Individual
Education Plan (IEP) documentation with
specific content addressing the disability directly
and specifying educational services.
Eligibility: Covers students whose disability
affects their educational performance and/or
ability to benefit from general education.
Definition of Disability: Children must fit
into one of the specific categories of disabilities
that is recognized in the law and they must need
special education.
Funding: DEA provides federal funds under
Parts B and C to assist states and local
educational agencies in meeting IDEA
requirements to serve children with disabilities.
Evaluation & Placement Procedures: An
IEP meeting is required before any change in
placement. Placement must be in the least
restrictive environment.
Independent Evaluation: Allows parents to
request an Independent Educational Evaluation
(IEE) at the school district’s expense if
parent/guardian disagrees with the evaluation
obtained by the school district.
Services: Offers educational services that are
remedial in addition to services available to all
mainstream students.
Procedural Safeguards: Requires written
notice to parent/guardian prior to identification,
evaluation and/or placement of child.
504
Requirements: Does not require a written
IEP, but does require a documented plan.
Required to provide persons with disabilities to
the greatest extent possible, an opportunity to be
fully integrated in to the mainstream.
Eligibility: Covers all persons with a disability
from discrimination in educational settings based
on their disability.
Definition of Disability: Having a physical or
mental impairment which limits one or more
major life activity.
Funding: Does not provide funding, state and
local jurisdiction have responsibility.
Evaluation & Placement Procedures:
Does not require a meeting for any change in
placement. Is in a regular classroom with support
services to eliminate barriers to the educational
experience.
Independent Evaluation: Does not allow
independent evaluations at the district’s expense
or the ability to request an independent
educational evaluation.
Services: Eliminates barriers that would
prevent a student from full participation in
program/services offered to the general school
population.
Procedural Safeguards: Does not require
written notice. Requires notice before a
“significant change” in placement.