Ah, the inns-and-outs of the 504 program

<font color="purple">For those who don't know, the 504 program is a program for children with special needs so that they are helped with school. I'm on it for bad organization, time management issues, and gross motor delays. In any case, I remember I was quite a bit more complex then that as a kid, I think I was diagnosed with APD (auditory processing disorder) and maybe some other stuff too considering I had to go to both pysical therapy and well...regular therapy every day. (My best friend Marie was diagnosed with autism as a kid, but you wouldn't suspect it now...unless we both have autism or something lol which wouldn't suprise me considering I was kinda out of it as a kid)

Anyways, the thought ran into my head about some of my past councelors, I don't quite remember my elementary ones that well, with the exception of a few. Middleschool they pretty much dropped me like a hot potato for no apparent reason, and throughout hisghschool I've had some ups and downs. I remember my old councelor was a pain for me alot because she well...did her job, forced me to work and forced me to organize. (which I wouldn't have a problem with- except that it was the last period of that day and I was always burned out) this year I started off with a really crappy guy who refused to help me if the problem didn't fall under the issues that were in my file (which is actualy BS because the point is to help students, and the file is more like guildlines) in any case, I think they started catching on that we didn't work together so well and was replaced =D I'm am SO glad he's gone, because it was so frustrating. In any case, I like my new councelor alot now, she's nice.

I've actualy made quite a few frinds vis the 504 program, like this kid with cerebal palsy, another with ADHD, another girl who I can only assume has memory issues, one guy who is just plain mentaly retarded, as well as a few others, as long as the kids who have anger issues show up, I think it's alot of fun (even though we are doing alot of work too)

Ah yes, the inns and outs of the 504 program.
I'm sure there are people here who are/were in it before,
Gots any stories?</font>

It looks like each state does things slightly differently; the state itself has to "obey" the 504 rules but they can have their own overlapping ones "instead" if they want as long as everyone gets covered. Here in Maryland they do IEP's (Individual Education Program) which are state-related and 504 plans only come in if they still can't participate in their classes well. For example, someone in a wheelchair might not need an IEP because they're only physically handicapped but might qualify for help under 504. Sounds like New York just uses the 504 to guide for everything?

I was in school in the 1950s and 60s before they had any of that. They mostly tried to "mainstream" who they could and all the other kids were in special schools "out of sight". Most kids with emotional or psychiatric problems weren't separately identified, it was just treated like we had behavioral problems unless they were really bad and then that kid would be sent away.

<font color="purple"> Yeah, for NY, it's pretty much ANY disability, wether it be physical or mental or emotional, as long as it is significant enough for it to well... interfere with your learning at school. Even if it's a physical diability, it;'s important because it takes more effort to get around (plus gym is different to, it's not like you expect kids in a wheelchair to run laps) so yeah, I guess. </font>

In the state of Ohio an I.E.P. or Individual Education Plan is used to provide specialized education services. The 504 plan is used to provide accomodations when specialized eduction is not required.

If a student is on an IEP - then there is not a 504 plan also, all accomodations are specified within the IEP.

Auditory Processing is big - in the State of Ohio that would most likely need an IEP. Most likely a student would need specialized eduction geared towards learning coping skills for dealing with Auditory Processing as well as specialized education to teach the lesson in a different way than the standard curriculum.

Either way - students with needs are accomodated.