If your child is too young or cannot attend, consider bringing in photos of your child to make the meeting more personal.ĥ. Create your 504. At the meeting, discuss your child’s allergies and needs to create an accommodation plan that will keep them safe in every school situation. If your child is old enough to participate, invite him or her to the meeting and encourage self-advocacy. Ask your allergist for a copy of your child’s Emergency Action Plan, as well as any other specific instructions for everyday or emergency management of your child’s food allergies.Ĥ. Make a list of the accommodations you want for your child. The DOE provides this guide for parents and educators seeking a 504. Do your homework. Before the meeting, look at sample 504 plans and know your state and school policies regarding food allergies. Also, document all phone calls including details such as date, time, with whom you spoke and the content of the conversation.ģ. Make sure to communicate via email in order to have a documented record to refer back to if necessary. Click here to find the 504 coordinator in your district. Set up a meeting. Before the school year begins, email to request a meeting with the 504 coordinator in your school district and copy the school principal. For allergies that are less severe, an Emergency Action Plan or an Individual Health Care Plan might be a better option.Ģ. Talk to your allergist about the severity of your child’s allergies and if they need a 504. Do you qualify? A student qualifies under 504 if he or she has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. What are the steps to getting a 504?Įvery 504 plan is unique and school districts handle them differently, but there are a few common threads.ġ. Unlike with Individualized Health Care Plans or Emergency Action Plans, school employees who fail to follow the 504 plan are in violation of federal law, which carries potential liability for the school district. If your child has a food allergy that may cause severe, life-threatening reactions, you should work with the school to develop a 504 plan. Should every child with food allergies have a 504? Section 504 states: “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 706(8) of this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance…” This means that any school that receives federal funding must honor these plans and offer “reasonable accommodations” to qualified students. The name refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the federal law that protects students with disabilities. Putting it all in writing holds the school and its employees accountable. This legally-binding written document tells school employees – from the classroom teacher to the lunchroom aide – how to keep your child safe on the way to school, in the classroom or during school activities. The 504 plan is a contract between the school district and your family. What do you do if your child’s school violates the plan? 1. Can you include accommodations for other disabilities like ADHD or autism in the same 504 plan?ġ6. How is a 504 different from an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and an Individualized Health Care Plan (IHCP)?ġ5. Do I need a 504 if the school has a food allergy policy in place?ġ4. Should I get a 504 for daycare or preschool?ġ3. Are private schools required to offer and honor 504 plans?ġ2. Can you incorporate language about “inclusion,” meaning the child should not feel isolated because of his or her food allergies?ġ1. What if the school says my child doesn’t need one?ĩ. Are after-school activities covered in the 504 plan?Ĩ. Should every child with food allergies have a 504?ħ. Like her mother, Debby is a mom on a mission to keep kids safe in the classroom and help others with the 504 process.Ģ. Now retired, her mother runs her own consulting business as a special education advocate for students with disabilities. For more than two decades, Madge Beerman worked as a special education case manager and counselor in the Chicago Public Schools system and sat in on every 504 meeting for her school, listening to countless discussions between parents and administrators about students’ disabilities. To help you get started, we talked to a food allergy mom who is uniquely qualified.ĭebby Beerman, an attorney and mother of three food-allergic children, walked into her first 504 meeting armed with legal documentation, printouts of policies and a secret weapon - her mother. It means taking every step to keep your child safe, and that might include getting a 504 plan. When you have a child with severe food allergies, heading back to school means so much more than just buying a new backpack.
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