Beyond K-12 School

Neither IEP documents nor 504 plans carry over into college for students with disabilities. IDEA protections end at 12th grade (with the exception of adult transition programs for students with moderate-severe disabilities who did not earn a high school diploma), which is why colleges are not required to create or implement IEPs. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Subpart D applies to K-12 schools while Subpart E applies to post-secondary schools. Due to this distinction, colleges have different requirements for supporting students with disabilities. They are not required to provide or implement 504 plans, though they are still held accountable for providing accommodations and supports for students who are eligible under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

While colleges are not required to implement a student’s IEP or 504 plan, they may use the document’s contents for decision-making or choose to implement particular accommodations or supports that were defined in the IEP or 504. However, just because a student had an IEP or 504 plan in high school, that does not mean they will receive accommodations while in college. In order to receive accommodations at the college-level, the institution must find the student eligible for services. Once a student has enrolled in college, they must register with their university’s disability services office to pursue accommodations. It’s important to remember that it is the responsibility of the student, once in college, to notify the institution of their disability in order to receive appropriate accommodations.