504 Accommodation Plan

Dear @Name@,

Your healthcare team has discussed the following subject with you: 504 Accommodation Plan. Here is some additional information. Please be sure to follow up with your healthcare team with any questions.

Children with inflammatory bowel disease may need special accommodations at school, as symptoms can be unpredictable in both frequency and severity. Your child may have to miss school for medical appointments, illness, disease flare-ups, infusion treatments, or medication side effects. At the same time, your child will still be responsible for learning and completing schoolwork. To help your child continue to achieve their academic goals, it is very important to establish a school accommodation (504) plan. 

It is advised that all students with IBD have a 504 Plan in place at the beginning of each school year, even when your child is feeling well. Just because you have a plan in place does not mean your child must use all of the accommodations.

As part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 is a law which protects the civil and constitutional rights of persons with disabilities. Children with IBD are protected under this due to IBD being a chronic illness that impacts at least one major life activity (i.e. using the restroom), and can cause limitations on your child’s ability to achieve his or her academic goals.

A 504 plan is simply an action plan developed by the school, parents/guardians, and the student. The goal is to prohibit discrimination against your child and should contain a list of accommodations or adjustments to ensure they are treated fairly and receive the same quality of education as other students. This law applies to all public schools, in addition to private schools that receive federal funding.

A few types of accommodations that can be helpful include unlimited restroom access, stop-the-clock testing, options to make up missed class time due to appointments, extra tutoring, and full participation in extracurricular activities despite potential classroom absences.

In order to set up a 504 Plan for your child, contact the school to request the plan and then request a letter or medical report from your child’s healthcare team to confirm their diagnosis. It is important to note the plan is only valid for one year, therefore it must be created or updated every year.

Please be sure to follow up with your healthcare team with any questions. The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation also offers a School Accommodation Plan Fact Sheet that provides more details about 504 Plans and answers frequently asked questions.