I'm trying to get my daughter's 504 plan written up and I so far, I'm not very happy with the way the school is handling this. Let me start by saying I'm not new to 504's or IEP's. My son has had an IEP for 3 years now and my daughter has had a 504 for other reasons for 4 years now. The problem I'm having is the lack of detail the school wants to list on this 504 and that they do not want to have an official meeting but just add it to her current 504.
The 504 suggestions I gave them were ones I got off of various other sites and I thought were all within reason. The school however started the conversation by telling me how long of a list it was. Not a good start and from there it got worse. One point that I asked for and feel strongly about is being informed when either her homeroom teacher or the school nurse are not in. I don't think that's a big deal considering that this person will be with her for 6 hours and that the nurse will be overseeing that she gets the correct dose of insulin. Yes I understand that they are all busy but what if her sub teacher is unaware of what to look for? What if she doesn't know and doesn't believe Leeann when she says she needs to see the nurse or go to the bathroom for the 3rd time. I don't think it's asking too much to get a call that states that the sub has this information.
I feel the school has been more receptive to other non-life threatening issues than they are to this. It's not just the items mentioned above. They failed to notify all the people who teach her, they failed to notify her bus driver and then they lied about it. Their tone was arrogant and they were dismisive about my fears. When I asked about what training or knowledge her bus driver would have, they replied that it wasn't an issue since she was only on the bus for 15 minutes. Unacceptable answer.
So my questions are, what have your experiences been when working on a 504 plan? Do you have suggestions on things to add in that are not well known? What do you expect out of the school in terms of educating the teachers about T1? Is anyone willing to share a copy of their plan?
You may have thin information already. These are private, gov, and ADA sites with info that may be helpful. Keep up the push, the outcome to protect and enable you daughter is what it is all about.
This is why I bring my kids to school. I walk them in every morning and pick them up everyday. So I know without a doubt who is there and who isnt. Its harder for them to push you around when you are in their faces or doing their jobs for them. I would wait to see if there is a sub or not and inform them myself. I know its not possible for everybody to do this just saying its the main reason I do do this. I have papers to give the school from our case manager. I have never had to do one myself. The schools have always filled them out and I agree or disagree.
I've only done 504's and IEP's from the other side at work, and never for T1. But, what I would suggest is:
1. get written info from the doctor b/c for some stupid reason people will listen to a dr more than a parent who was informed BY the dr. You could write a proposed plan and the endo could sign it with a note that's it's necessary or something.
2. I would also make it clear to them in a polite way that you want to meet in person to discuss the update and won't sign until it makes your daughter's needs. Not to sound cynical, but maybe they'll want to get out of multiple meetings with you and agree more quickly? At the meeting, it can help to bring an advocate who will also speak for your daughters needs. Maybe someone from the local JDRF? A couple years ago, I attended an IEP in another district for a family whose child I worked with and was able to help the family get more services than originally offered by coming at it from an "outside" prespective (i.e., "studies show that, blah blah blah...").
3. When I worked in public schools, many people felt angry b/c they felt overworked. Even though they are legally mandated to provide a safe and healthy environment for your child, they don't seem to want to step out of the box to really get it done. I'd swallow my pride and say something like, "I know you are so busy and work so hard. You have so many children's needs to meet, not just my daughter's. However, for her safety, I need to be informed when the nurse / teacher is out. I'm sure you won't want to have to worry that she'd have a dangerous episode during the school day either! How can we make this easier for you? How about if you decide whether you call or email me by 8 am if they will be out, whatever is easier for you." Maybe the bus supervisor could get involved on the driver thing?
4. Are there any points on the list of accommodations that you could combine to make them think the list looks shorter, lol????
ADA has legal help for people w/ D, but hopefully with some more explanation to the school it won't come to that! GOOD LUCK!
One more thought after my last post ... Has the school nurse been at these meetings? Maybe she'd be more receptive than the administration b/c she understands the dangers of lows, etc at school?
I commented in another thread about 504 plans, but I'll mention some stuff here too. 504 plans are anti-discrimination plans and schools don't like the process of doing them because it's more work for them.
But you have rights under IDEA (1994) - a federal statute of how things are supposed to occur in these situations. The problem is that individual states are left to decide how to implement the criteria laid out federal law. So basically you end up with a bunch of states that don't do what they need to or are just now starting to do so.
I've never seen a case of a child with diabetes having a 504 plan, but I guess it's reasonable. The ADA also has some information that you could check: http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm
I don't know how old your child is, but it's a good idea to make sure they are taking as much responsibility for their health as is developmentally appropriate. For me, that meant carrying around insulin syringes from the age of 10 and taking them after meals. If your child is younger, you have to keep in mind that schools are really really uncomfortable with medication because they don't want to be liable if something goes wrong (ie nurse gives too much insulin). If you can get a note from a physician recommending exact amounts following a meal, then they will be more cooperative because it takes some of the pressure off them.
And as for training...good luck. It's not going to happen in any formal sense, but you can make an effort to educate the teachers yourself. Realistically, that is probably your best option because at least you'll know what they're being told and if it's complete bs or not.
The 504 is used to address how the student
will be accommodate to make sure the can get they education without hindering
their normal life activities as specified in the Americans with Disabilities
Act, Amendment Act of 2008, implemented in Jan or 2009, which now specifies
diabetes as a disability that must be accommodate in the workplace and
educational institution.
The 504 as described in the federal office of
education is:
The Section 504 regulations require a school
district to provide a "free appropriate public education" (FAPE) to
each qualified student with a disability who is in the school district's
jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. Under
Section 504, FAPE consists of the provision of regular or special education and
related aids and services designed to meet the student's individual educational
needs as adequately as the needs of nondisabled students are met.
More info can be found at the site.
In a legal summary of the new ADA act, it
states that it is, “Importantly for children
with disabilities, the ADAAA applies equally to 504. Unlike the situation
with employment, most school districts appropriately applied the law to 504
eligibility questions, and accommodated a range of students with disabilities.
Thus, the ADAAA will not make any substantial changes in what most districts
already do. But the law provides an important remedy for those children who
have inappropriately been denied 504 eligibility.”
Most district use an IEP to specify what
educational tools, methods, instruction or classroom environment will be used
to address the unique needs of a child with a learning disability A diabetic
has no need for an IEP unless they need something in addition to the normal
classroom instruction to learn. The 504 is use to specify what to do if
situations and how the school should handle the student and their challenges
with diabetes, food, insulin, BG testing, emergencies and etc. If a school
receives federal funds, they must use a 504 plan or something similar to
specify how the student and their diabetes will be accommodated in the
classroom and school to minimize impact on their education, life and social
environment at school.
The local American Diabetes Assoc or JDRF chapter
may have resources that can help with 504 plans and support the parents when
they have deal with the districts.