3 Great IEP and 504 Plan Resources for Parents

by JoleneFeb 2, 2015School/Education, Special Needs Parenting12 comments

Photo Credit: Salvatore Vuono at www.freedigitalphotos.net

Talking about annual reviews of IEPs and 504 plans on Groundhog’s Day may seem a bit early. But then again, if you’ve attended enough annual reviews to need a truck to haul the paperwork, you know it’s none too soon to begin. To help you get moving, here are 3 great posts filled with resources and advice offered by IEP and 504 experts.

IEP and 504 Plan Resource 1

A good starting place is with Tim Villegas’ article, The Most Important Thing Parents Need to Understand about Special Education. Villegas, who’s worked in the special education field for over 10 years, stresses the importance of creating and maintaining good communication with the educators and administrators involved in your child’s schooling. And if you scroll to the bottom of the page, you’ll find a link to his other articles.

IEP and 504 Plan Resource 2

Once you’ve absorbed the wisdom Villegas offers, hop on over to a post written by the mom of a child who receives special education services. In I Hate/Heart Meetings, Aiden’s mom identifies six reasons why her son’s latest annual review meeting was a good one. Take a minute to compare and contrast what she says to what Villegas had to say. Take any similarities you find to heart. Then use the things parents and educators agree about to make your child’s annual review the best meeting it can be.

IEP and 504 Plan Resource 3

Finally, if you’re confused about whether your child should have an IEP or 504 Plan, the editors of the Understood website have created a thorough and excellent infographic called The Difference Between IEPs and 504 Plans. Look it over thoroughly and click on the links to your heart’s delight. If you have a good relationship with your child’s teachers and school administrators, you might want to pass the article on to them.

Your Bonus IEP and 504 Plan Resource

No list of IEP and 504 plan resource list is complete without one final addition to it. If anything you’ve read so far or heard at meetings confuses you (and it would be amazing if you’ve not been confused), stop by the Wrightslaw website. Is overflows with articles and advice about special education law. You can even submit questions if you like.

Your Favorite IEP and 504 Plan Resources?

Did your favorite IEP and 504 plan resources make the list? If not leave links to them in the comment box. Now, stop reading and hire your truck!

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By Jolene

Jolene Philo is the author of the Different Dream series for parents of kids with special needs. She speaks at parenting and special needs conferences around the country. She’s also the creator and host of the Different Dream website. Sharing Love Abundantly With Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, was released in August of 2019 and is available at local bookstores, their bookstore website, and at Amazon.

12 Comments

Sylvia Phillips on February 7, 2015 at 8:25 pm

Here in upstate NY it’s not unheard of for IEP meetings to start in late February! Thanks for sharing this important and timely information!
Sylvia Phillips on February 7, 2015 at 8:25 pm

Here in upstate NY it’s not unheard of for IEP meetings to start in late February! Thanks for sharing this important and timely information!
Beth on February 6, 2015 at 12:53 pm

Thanks for the resources. These are some really great ones. I just recently heard of Tim Villegas, I some how stumbled on the Think Inclusive website. I love it. Also I can not imagine going through this without Wrightslaw…their website has been so helpful. I did attend one of their trainings I felt like I really learned a lot. I will have to check out the others! Thanks again!
Beth on February 6, 2015 at 12:53 pm

Thanks for the resources. These are some really great ones. I just recently heard of Tim Villegas, I some how stumbled on the Think Inclusive website. I love it. Also I can not imagine going through this without Wrightslaw…their website has been so helpful. I did attend one of their trainings I felt like I really learned a lot. I will have to check out the others! Thanks again!
Jolene on February 6, 2015 at 10:07 am

Paula, thank you so much for mentioning Parent Training and Information (PTI) Centers and the differences between states. For those of you who aren’t sure where your state’s PTI is, here’s the state locator at their national website address: http://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/
Jolene
Jolene on February 6, 2015 at 10:07 am

Paula, thank you so much for mentioning Parent Training and Information (PTI) Centers and the differences between states. For those of you who aren’t sure where your state’s PTI is, here’s the state locator at their national website address: http://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/
Jolene
Paula Connolly on February 5, 2015 at 2:00 pm

All these resources are good start. Parents should not forget that each state and US territories have at least one Parent Training and Information (PTI) Center under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The grant is population driven so some states have more than one center. The purpose of a PTI is help parents navigate special education law. The advocates do receive training. In Iowa, ASK Resource Center has the PTI grant. Even national education advocates such as Pete Wright will recommend parents use their PTI resources, too. At the national level, you can only cite federal law to maintain quality and accuracy. However, each state has state rules so it is important to understand how federal/state law works together.
Paula Connolly on February 5, 2015 at 2:00 pm

All these resources are good start. Parents should not forget that each state and US territories have at least one Parent Training and Information (PTI) Center under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The grant is population driven so some states have more than one center. The purpose of a PTI is help parents navigate special education law. The advocates do receive training. In Iowa, ASK Resource Center has the PTI grant. Even national education advocates such as Pete Wright will recommend parents use their PTI resources, too. At the national level, you can only cite federal law to maintain quality and accuracy. However, each state has state rules so it is important to understand how federal/state law works together.
Jolene on February 3, 2015 at 5:07 am

You’re welcome, Heather!
Jolene on February 3, 2015 at 5:07 am

You’re welcome, Heather!
Heather Bowie on February 2, 2015 at 5:29 pm

Thanks for the shout out! It’s always helpful to get information out there to make meeting go better.

Heather
Heather Bowie on February 2, 2015 at 5:29 pm

Thanks for the shout out! It’s always helpful to get information out there to make meeting go better.

Heather