Long term risk of losing the 504?

[brownie]

DS12 had a 504 which later got rolled into an IEP.  We were told you couldn't have both so it was an OHI.  Then we homeschooled.  Now we cyber school and have our 504 again.  Next year he heads to the same public school where he had a 504 before, but we were told he probably wouldn't have one....just a health plan.  He shouldwill have an IEP for aspergers (or he won't go ) so I assume an OHI again is what we want?

My concern is what long term risks am I taking if I drop the OHI or IEP at their request?  DS is very responsible, wears his meds, knows his symptoms, is assertive, outspoken, calm and collected when dealing with his peanut allergy.  He could potentially self-inject if lucid enough and of course I would never accept that the teachers weren't trained and prepared.  Bullying is one potential issue I can foresee, but what about college?  Will applying without a 504 impact our ability to get services for FA there?  Are only public universities affected by 504?

[Macabre]

You want to keep the 504.  I have personally found that getting an IEP (which has more teeth) under OHI to be more difficult.  But a 504 follows to college, so it's a good thing to have.

The things you described as possible reasons why he'd do okay without one have to do with safety. And sure--he may be safe enough with just an IHP.  But a 504 is about both safety and inclusion. My son is in 9th grade and his 504 has changed as he's gotten older--and ensured access every step of the way. 

I'll come back to the college question tomorrow. We have started a college 504 thread.  I'm not sure if it's in Schools or School Resources.  It was last posted in in October or November I think.

[LinksEtc]

Here's a few threads on 504/college:

504 for college

College Related

[Macabre]

504s are used for private schools. But not private religious schools. Necessarily.

[twinturbo]

OHI is tricky, in my personal opinion because you're already operating within special education and the accommodations are bureaucratically buried somewhere within the total IEP. The staff involved is also entrenched firmly within a spectrum of disabled student population served so, again in my personal opinion, I think there's a bit more sentiment that they are the system.

Huge quagmire in my case tended to be the nurses because they were all part time and woefully ignorant. The other competing factor that edged out the seriousness were parents who pursued biomedical intervention diets claiming allergies but were just following Feingold diets. To each their own but obviously the chorus of anti-vax GFCF in sheer numbers drowns out the patients with IgE-mediated allergies and food anaphylaxis. I learned quickly to bring pictures, ambulance bills, and alter my language to use anaphylaxis as an objective differentiator from allergy.

I'd limit their choices to this: Do I put accommodations in IEP or 504? There is no go without option. Agree to the IHP because it's for the nurse but for the child you'll need the IEP OHI or 504.

[twinturbo]

Answering college accommodations separately.

In addition to my previous statements in the threads Links posted, this is what I would add:

1) Does child have a medical diagnosis for Asperger's or ASD?

If this has been an education diagnosis to qualify for IEP then it's possible without medical documentation there could potentially be some problem at the college level for accommodations. I know many people don't realize that there are educational diagnoses that qualify individuals for educational plans, and that is not necessarily inclusive of an actual medical diagnosis.

2) Even if student does not get specifically a 504 college then at least still go through the university student disability office to document and centralize the accommodations so that student doesn't have to tell each and every instructor what accommodations are necessary. I already covered why and how this matters to the instructors as they receive notices from the disability office on what accommodations they are to make, it also provides them the latitude necessary to make further accommodations when the disability is documented.

My husband is a college professor. He will assume a student is fully capable of an assigned task as outlined by due date unless informed otherwise. He needs that documentation in place to give more time on an exam for example. Because you don't know what accommodations will be needed this far into the future I would not prioritize it until it becomes timely. I would also recommend working closely as a parent with the student's advisor as they often have the ability to direct outcomes and advocate for their advisees.

[brownie]

Answering college accommodations separately.

In addition to my previous statements in the threads Links posted, this is what I would add:

1) Does child have a medical diagnosis for Asperger's or ASD?

If this has been an education diagnosis to qualify for IEP then it's possible without medical documentation there could potentially be some problem at the college level for accommodations. I know many people don't realize that there are educational diagnoses that qualify individuals for educational plans, and that is not necessarily inclusive of an actual medical diagnosis.

Not entirely clear on what this means.  Can you explain?  Yes we have a medical diagnosis of Aspergers.  He's not in great need of the IEP, but has organizational issues I want supported as we transition in.  I also have no idea what will happen socially.  I don't intend to let him go without the IEP but it is going to be an uphill battle with out district.  Then presumably we would have to request an OHI as part of it.

[twinturbo]

Yep, we're in the same boat. I'm going to have to fight for the OHI in our IEP, and this will be our second round. The first one with first child was never granted.

If I want an evaluation for my child in my state I don't have to go to a qualified professional that can diagnose ASD using DSM criteria. There can be an educational declaration of ASD which an IEP will be authored citing goals. The harder the diagnosis through paraprofessionals in county services the more money and therapies are available. This can all happen without an actual medical diagnosis.

Now what a college will need submitted to validate the diagnosis I'm not sure because I only know it from the prof's end. However if they want, say, a one page statement from ped on diagnosis that's different than trying to submit a multi-page IEP from 6th grade. There are kids in sped with educational diagnoses of ASD that have never been diagnosed medically. How that may affect accommodations in college I'm unsure.

[brownie]

With respect to college I am mostly wondering about dining plan/hall issues for the allergies.  Brownie

[CMdeux]

But even so-- for exemptions to institutional policies* of one sort or another, it will require a formal identification as a QID. 

* "all freshman must live on campus"
" all dorm residents must purchase a meal plan"
"all seniors must spend a semester abroad"
"this exercise (handling an allergen) is a required element in this course."

[twinturbo]

Brownie, understood.

I'm purposely giving you a more complete lay of the land from an academic instructor's point of view for a couple of reasons. 1) They would appreciate the most expedient way to know accommodations for students in the official method of workplace which is usually a public entity and has rules on top of rules 2) It's always too little too late for students when it comes to academic standing and underlying problems that may or may not legitimately affect performance.

In any case it's not cheap and you don't often get redo's easily. If there is a medical issue that requires accommodations you're essentially placing the onus on instructors to figure it out in the student's stead and their hands are often tied unless that paper from the disability office reaches their desk or email inbox. And the busier the prof who also has time commitments to research, faculty meetings and general administrative duties that time based personal generosity can get used up quickly if at all.

And once academic standing is in jeapordy it's a perilous, difficult process to regain. I don't know the specifics of accommodations for your child but lengthy group projects that require intricate virtual and physical collaboration could be challenging on organizational, social and food allergy fronts. Then there are presentations and the possibility that students have the opportunity to grade one another. An instructor fully armed with directives from he disability office and has foreknowledge of accommodations can properly assess, stepping in where necessary.

The stakes are astronomically raised during key core requirements, which if not passed means a student can go no further within a major. Sadly, not all courses are weighted equally.