1. Exceptional Lives
  2. Massachusetts Guides
  3. Special Education Services
  4. The 504 Plan

Monitoring progress

Once you have the 504 plan in place, it's important to keep track of your child's progress.

What you want to know:

  1. Is your child consistently getting all the accommodations outlined in the 504 plan?

  2. Are they helping your child to make progress in school and take part in other school activities?

What you can do:

  • Talk to your child's teacher or 504 Coordinator about the plan for monitoring progress. This can include:

    • Grades: These will help you understand your child's progress in the general curriculum.

    • Talking with the teacher: Schedule times to meet with your child's teacher to get updates on how your child is doing in class and whether the accommodations are helping your child access the curriculum.

    • Note: Your child will not receive separate progress reports for a 504 plan because your child does not need services to make progress.

  • Review your child's report cards carefully.Think about these questions:

    • Is your child making the expected progress at school?

    • Are the accommodations working for them?

    • Are there any questions or concerns about their academic, emotional, or social well-being?

  • Make sure that your child is getting all the accommodations written in the 504 Plan.

  • If you have questions or concerns, call your child's teacher or ask the 504 Coordinator to set up a meeting. You can ask for a meeting any time!

  • If you think the 504 Plan needs to be changed, talk with your child's teachers and the 504 Coordinator.

 

Click the box below for more ideas:

1. Compare apples to apples:Make sure your child's progress is measured with the same unit of measurement as the goal.

  • If the goal is for Johnny to respond appropriately 60% of the time, make sure his progress is also measured in percentages.

  • If the goal is for Johnny to respond appropriately in 6 of 10 trials, make sure his progress is also measured in trials.

 

2. Ask for work samples and assessments.

  • It's helpful to track progress when you can see for yourself the kind of work your child is doing in school. It's more tangible than the data you'll see on the reports.

  • If you think that work samples and other assessments are a better way to measure your child's progress, you can request that they measure the goals with them.

What to do if you have a complaint:

  • If you do not think the school is implementing the 504 plan, or that your child is getting an education that meets their needs, you can file a complaint.

  • Click on this web page: How to File a Complaint with the Office for Civil Rights. (It will open in a new tab on your screen.)

About re-evaluations:

  • There is no specific timeline for re-evaluating your child.

  • But the school district is required to do evaluations when needed, and at least before a change in school placement.

 

What if your child is not making progress?

If you think your child needs more support, you can ask for another evaluation and try (again) to see if they qualify for an IEP.

See the other sections about the Special Ed process, getting an evaluation and solving a problem with the school.

 

Sources: Federation for Children with Special Needs, MA DESE, U.S. Dept. of Education