Section 504

504 Plan Basics

Students can qualify for 504 plans if they have physical or mental impairments that affect or limit any of their abilities to:

  • Walk, breathe, eat, or sleep
  • Communicate, see, hear, or speak
  • Read, concentrate, think, or learn
  • Stand, bend, lift, or work

Examples of accommodations in 504 plans include:

  • Preferential seating
  • Extended time on tests and assignments
  • Reduced homework or classwork
  • Verbal, visual, or technology aids
  • Modified textbooks or audio-video materials
  • Behavior management support
  • Adjusted class schedules or grading
  • Verbal testing
  • Excused lateness, absence, or missed classwork
  • Pre-approved nurse's office visits and accompaniment to visits
  • Occupational or physical therapy

The goal of 504 plans is for students to be educated in regular classrooms along with the services, accommodations, or educational aids they might need. If students with these plans can't achieve satisfactory academic success, as is determined by the school, then alternative settings in the school or private or residential programs can be considered.

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Section 504 Coordinator Responsibilities