504 Plans: ADHD Accommodation Options For Students

Mental health conditions and neurodivergence can accompany stigma and misunderstanding, which may influence people to fear a diagnosis or avoid seeking an official label. This challenge may also be the case for children diagnosed with ADHD. However, despite the possibility of stereotypes and stigmas, there can be advantages to receiving a diagnosis. 

Those diagnosed with ADHD may qualify for accommodations at school, including individual education plans (IEPs) and a 504 plan. Adults may be eligible for special accommodations in the workplace. To understand why some people may seek a diagnosis, it can be helpful to investigate these options and how they can help individuals manage symptoms in a professional setting.

While an IEP is an official school document required by law to support students with a disability meeting a high criteria standard, a 504 plan is an assistance plan created to help students who do not qualify for an IEP due to a lack of adequate interference in a child's education.

IEPs require a school team of students, parent(s), the school principal, school psychologist, and educators to meet to create measurable goals for the student, which are updated to track the student's progress. These goals are addressed by educators in the student’s least restrictive environment to help the student progress. Conversely, a 504 plan outlines the additional related services, alterations, or accommodations required to provide an acceptable level of schooling to a child with a disability without requiring a formal demonstration of progress and measurable goals.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires a school district to provide a “free appropriate public education” to students with disabilities within the district, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. It goes on to define a person with a disability as “any person who: (i) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, (ii) has a record of such an impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having such an impairment.” Major life activities may include things like performing manual tasks, walking, speaking, hearing, etc. Under this law, schools that receive federal funding must provide educational programs and services to children with disabilities.

These accommodations ensure students with unique needs that affect their educational performance have an equal opportunity to receive services in general education classes as their peers without these needs, but one of the key differences between an IEP and a 504 plan is that a 504 plan is not specialized instruction. 

While an IEP may have documented targets as the year progresses, a 504 plan may describe to the child's educators what modifications can be made in a general education classroom to offer the same level of education to students with unique needs. A 504 plan may not offer provisions like one-on-one instruction or require specialized instruction but instead gives students extra testing time, extra breaks during school hours, and other alterations that are deemed reasonable. 

ADHD accommodations differ from modifications in that accommodations change how instruction is delivered, while modifications can change the instruction. 504 plans focus on accommodations rather than modifications and specially designed instruction. For example, a child with asthma may be allowed to take breaks when needed during physical education classes. ADHD-specific accommodations are unique to each child but might include keeping children closer to the front of the room, adding a study skills class to teach organization skills, allowing children to keep notes for tests, or offering assistive technology. 

Different children with ADHD experience different challenges. Some children, for instance, struggle to focus on a single task, while others might hyper-focus and struggle to engage in more complex, stimulating schoolwork. For this reason, evaluating your child's needs and planning is essential when creating a 504 plan. Although your child's school might have a general plan to offer to students with unique needs, not all children may match existing accommodations. For this reason, parents might meet with school faculty to discuss accommodation options. 

To receive a 504 plan, gather materials demonstrating your child's diagnosis. A doctor's note identifying your child's official diagnosis may be sufficient. From there, contact your child's school and request a 504 plan. Like an IEP, a 504 plan requires a meeting between the child's caregiver(s) and educators, and you can work as a team to brainstorm ideal accommodations. When attending your first meeting, come prepared. 

To prepare for a 504 plan meeting, gather all materials related to your child's diagnosis and list the accommodations your child might require. If you aren't sure, take a few days to document the areas in which your child seems to struggle and consider how they might apply to your child's learning style. Some children with ADHD might benefit from avoiding oral quizzes in favor of written ones, while others might benefit from providing oral responses to a test rather than composed ones.

If you are unsure about a 504 plan, consider involving your child's teachers or therapists. Teachers may be familiar with your child's work and may offer advice on which accommodations might be best suited to your child.

504 plans are reviewed yearly to ensure all accommodations are still necessary and fulfill their expectations in supporting the student in learning. Revisions can be made if any of the accommodations are not helpful or require tweaking to provide success to the student with ADHD. Students may lose their 504 plans if their diagnosis is removed from their medical records or determined to be false. A 504 plan could also be removed if an education team or other relevant service providers determine that the child does not require accommodations to succeed. 

In this situation, parents can contest the removal of the 504. While there are no guarantees, a contestation may keep a 504 plan in place. Having your child's medical records ready before requesting this change may be beneficial. In addition, consider how you may prove to the child's school that they would benefit more from accommodations than receiving the same treatment as other children. 

504 plans are considered a legal right for children with special needs, including those with ADHD. To successfully get a 504 plan for your child, consider involving multiple social systems. Talk to the director of special education, enlist the opinion of your child's primary care provider, and round up past or present teachers and teaching assistants, if possible, to get a well-rounded idea of the types of assistance your child may benefit from. 

Ask family and friends questions to determine whether playtime or routine issues arise with your child, such as an inability to sit still during mealtime or difficulty responding to one's name while with peers, as these can transfer to academic settings. 

There may be potential roadblocks to achieving an effective 504 plan for your child. Keep the following situations in mind as you apply for this support option. 

Not having a diagnosis 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) gives children with disabilities from birth to age 21 the right to a free and appropriate education,” but without a diagnosis, students cannot qualify. Even students who have difficulty in school but do not meet diagnostic criteria for a learning disability or behavioral disorder cannot get a 504 plan and do not possess the same legal right to these accommodations. In these cases, the first step toward developing accommodations or modifications for your child is requesting an evaluation to determine whether your child qualifies for a diagnosis.

A lack of detail 

504 plans are not as detailed as IEPs, so some teachers might require additional information or clarity to implement the accommodations described within the 504 plan. Communication with your child and your child's teachers may ensure all accommodations are understood and followed. Yearly 504 plan meetings can also help educators remain consistent in implementing plans, as a review requires a detailed overview of what has been done throughout the year and what might benefit from revision. 

A lack of specialized accommodations 

While it might seem helpful for a school to outline general accommodations for every diagnosis, learning, and behavioral disorders are unique and affect each child differently. What is helpful for one child with ADHD could prove problematic for another. If your school has a ready-made ADHD 504 plan, request a specialized plan, and remember that tailored 504s are a legal right, not a privilege. Know your child's unique needs and present these needs to your 504-plan team in as straightforward and detailed a way as possible.

A lack of accommodation in exclusive settings 

Recognize that 504 plans are for public education spaces. If your child attends an exclusive school, charter, or homeschooling co-op, 504 plans may be available, but accommodation for ADHD cannot be demanded as a matter of legality. In these cases, your child may benefit from outside services, such as those delivered by a qualified psychologist or occupational therapist.

Support for adults with ADHD and parents of neurodivergent children 

Navigating the challenges of seeking accommodations for your child or understanding their diagnosis may be challenging. If you are an adult with ADHD, you may also wonder what accommodations are available to you in the adult world. In these cases, it may be beneficial to seek support from a therapist. 

While some people seek therapy in person, online therapists through platforms like BetterHelp may be an option for adults with ADHD and parents. An online therapist with experience in child and adolescent psychology may be helpful if you have questions about accommodations for your child. Online therapy platforms can often match clients with a therapist within 48 hours and offer appointment times, sometimes outside of standard business hours.  

Some parents of youth with ADHD have experienced positive outcomes from attending therapy to respond more healthily to their children's behaviors and symptoms. A recent randomized controlled trial sought to evaluate the efficacy of parent ADHD training online, and results showed that the videoconference group reported similar treatment effectiveness in the online program as the in-person group.