Struggling to remain focused throughout all of his classes, junior Liam O’neil said he feels grateful for the benefits his 504 plan provides.

According to eleventh grade counselor Laura King, Individualized Education Program (IEP) and 504 plans serve as learning plans for students in need of special accommodations.

“The difference (between IEP and 504 plans) is the students need to qualify for special education in order to have an IEP,” King said. “For a 504 plan, it’s not a special education plan. It is a regular, general education student who would have some type of diagnosis that would impact their ability to learn in the classroom.”

O’neil said he received a 504 plan when his ADHD prevented him from keeping up in classes.

“I need a 504 because it just took a little longer for me to take tests and I am just so easily distracted with homework and projects,” O’neil said. “It’s just hard for me to get work done by the specific date.”

King said the IEP and 504 are most commonly used to provide testing benefits.

“There are in class or homework related accommodations, but testing is probably the most common accommodation that is going to show up in either an IEP or a 504 plan,” King said. “(IEP and 504 plans) address both testing that occurs within the classroom and testing for the ACT or the SAT.”

According to King, these plans do not guarantee privileges on ACT or SATs, but are usually necessary for any student looking to gain testing accommodations.

“One thing I would say with the 504 and the IEP is that (they) are used as evidence to put towards ACT or college board, which controls the SAT, to see if the student could get extended time,” King said. “There is no guarantee, but either institution is going to want to see either that 504 plan or the IEP before they really consider the extended time or any testing accommodation.”

O’neil said his 504 plan helped increase his ability to be successful in school.

“Sometimes if I need extra time I can stay after class (or) if I have the class at the end of the day they’d let me stay after and finish it up just in case (I needed) more time,” O’neil said. “For the ACT, (extended time) was huge. You can actually take your time and focus on the questions.”  

According to King, any student already in possession of an IEP or 504 plan or any student seeking access to a plan should contact her. King said accommodation requests for either the ACT or SAT must be submitted at least seven weeks prior to the test date.

King said the next ACT takes place June 10 and the next SAT takes place May 6.