Accommodations
In North Carolina, individuals can have accommodations through a 504 Plan or an IEP. Which plan a student is eligible for is dependent on their condition. Below are the conditions that qualify for accommodations under section 504 and the IDEA.
If an individual has:
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a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities,
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a record of such impairment, or
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is regarded as having such an impairment.​​​​
They qualify for accommodations under Section 504, and need a 504 Plan.
If an individual has one or more of the following conditions:
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Autism
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Deaf-Blind
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Deafness
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Emotional Disturbance
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Hearing Impairment
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Intellectual Disability
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Multiple Disabilities
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Orthopedic Impairments
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Other Health Impaired
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Specific Learning Disability
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Speech or Language Impairment
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Traumatic Brain Injury
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Visual Impairment including Blindness
They qualify for accommodations under IDEA, and need an IEP.
How to obtain a 504 Plan/IEP
The process to obtain a 504 plan or IEP begins with a formal request in writing.
As per the state's guidelines, the request, called a "referral," should include: "the reason for referral, addressing the specific presenting concerns and the child’s current strengths and needs."
The referral can be given to the principal of the school, the child’s teacher or other school professional, or the Superintendent or other appointed official of the LEA. After the referral, a meeting may be held to discuss the child's needs. ​
Once an evaluation of some kind is held and a referral meeting has taken place, an eligibility meeting will be held. At this meeting, a determination is made about whether the student is eligible for special education services (an IEP) or a 504 plan. During this meeting, you should advocate for specific accommodations needed for your student and emphasize their challenges and strengths.
* If you do not have an up-to-date diagnosis for your student, your student's school may conduct an evaluation. If you do not feel as though this assessment is accurate, you may request an Independent Education Evaluation (IEE) at no cost to you.
** It is important to note that the entire special education evaluation process, once begun by the referral, should take no longer than 90 days.
Keeping up with your accommodations
Disability law in North Carolina requires "periodic re-evaluation" of a student's accommodations, which is generally once every 1-3 years. More information may be found on county-specific school system pages.