Section 504 Transition and Beyond: From K-12 to College

Accessible Education
Nov 11
11 min read

As your child approaches graduation from high school, you may wonder what happens to their Section 504 protections. The transition from K-12 education to college or other postsecondary settings involves significant changes in how disability services work.

Understanding these changes helps you prepare your child for success beyond high school.

Student walking toward a college campus symbolizing the transition from K-12 Section 504 supports to college accommodations. — Transitioning from high school to college means new responsibilities — and continued rights under Section 504.

What Happens to the 504 Plan After High School Graduation?

The Section 504 Plan does not automatically carry over to college or postsecondary settings.

This is one of the most important things parents and students need to understand. The 504 Plan that guided your child's education through elementary, middle, and high school ends when they graduate.

Why the Plan Doesn't Transfer

The K-12 Section 504 Plan is specifically designed to provide FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) in the elementary and secondary school context. Postsecondary institutions have different obligations under Section 504 that don't include providing FAPE.

However, this doesn't mean your child loses all Section 504 protections. The protections continue; they just work differently at the college level.

How Section 504 Changes at the College Level

The fundamental shift is from an entitlement model to an anti-discrimination model.

K-12 Education: The Entitlement Model

In elementary and secondary schools, Section 504 focuses on providing FAPE.

This means:

The school has a Child Find obligation to identify students who need services
The school must evaluate students
The school creates a plan documenting needed services
Services are designed to meet the student's needs as adequately as those of non-disabled peers
The school is responsible for ensuring implementation
Parents have extensive involvement in decision-making

The burden is on the school to identify needs and provide services.

Postsecondary Education: The Anti-Discrimination Model

At colleges and universities that receive federal financial assistance, Section 504 (and Title II of the ADA) focus on providing equal access through non-discrimination.

This means:

Institutions must provide appropriate academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services
The goal is to afford students with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in programs
Students must self-identify and request accommodations
Students must provide documentation of their disability
Institutions are not required to provide adjustments that would fundamentally alter the program or impose an undue burden
Parents are not involved (students are adults with privacy rights)

The burden is on the student to self-identify, document needs, and request accommodations.

Key Differences Between K-12 and College

Understanding these differences helps prepare your child for the shift in responsibility.

Identification of Students with Disabilities

K-12:

School has Child Find obligation
School identifies students who may need services
School initiates evaluation process

College:

No Child Find obligation
Students must self-identify with disability services office
The student must request accommodations
The institution doesn't seek out students who might need help

Documentation of Disability

K-12:

School evaluates at no cost to parents
Evaluation uses a variety of sources, including school data
Section 504 Plan documents disability and services

College:

Student must provide documentation of disability
Usually requires professional evaluation or diagnosis
The student may need to pay for an evaluation if the disability it is not already documented
Documentation standards vary by institution

Nature of Services

K-12:

FAPE requires services to meet individual needs as adequately as non-disabled peers
Can include specially designed instruction
Extensive accommodations and modifications
Related services (counseling, health services, etc.)

College:

Academic adjustments and auxiliary aids to provide equal access
No requirement to provide "appropriate" education, only equal opportunity
No fundamental alterations to program requirements
No undue burden requirement

Student Responsibility

K-12:

School implements accommodations automatically
Teachers receive a 504 Plan and must implement
Accommodations provided without student's request

College:

Student must arrange accommodations each semester
Student requests accommodations from disability services office
Disability Services Office provides accommodation letters to professors
Student may need to remind professors and follow up

Parental Involvement

K-12:

Parents have the right to participate in meetings
Parents receive notices and can challenge decisions
School communicates with parents about the student's needs and progress
Parents are partners in the process

College:

The student is an adult with privacy rights under FERPA
Parents are not involved unless the student provides consent
The institution communicates directly with the student
The student makes all decisions about accommodations

Academic Standards and Course Requirements

K-12:

Accommodations may include modifications to what is taught
Curriculum may be adjusted
Standards may be modified for students with significant needs

College:

Students must meet the same academic standards as all students
No modifications to essential course requirements
Accommodations change how students demonstrate knowledge, not what they must learn
No fundamental alterations to degree requirements

Testing and Evaluation

K-12:

Extensive testing accommodations available
May include modifications to test content or grading
State testing accommodations are documented in the plan

College:

Testing accommodations must not fundamentally alter what the test measures
Accommodations for standardized tests (SAT, ACT, MCAT, LSAT, etc.) require separate applications to testing companies
Grading standards remain the same

Preparing Your Child for the Transition

The best time to start preparing is early, ideally by middle school, and certainly by high school.

Teaching Self-Advocacy Skills

Self-advocacy is the most critical skill your child needs for college success.

Your child should be able to:

Explain their disability in their own words
Describe how the disability affects their learning
Identify what accommodations help them
Request accommodations from professors
Follow up when accommodations aren't provided
Problem-solve when challenges arise

How to build these skills:

Start early: Even in elementary school, help your child understand their disability and needs in age-appropriate ways.
Increase participation in 504 meetings: As your child gets older, encourage them to:
- Attend 504 Team meetings
- Provide input about what helps them
- Ask questions about accommodations
- Eventually lead discussions about their needs
Practice requesting accommodations:
- Role-play conversations with professors
- Practice explaining needs without oversharing personal information
- Rehearse follow-up when accommodations aren't provided
Encourage independence in high school:
- Have your teen talk to teachers about accommodations
- Teach them to monitor whether accommodations are being provided
- Support them in speaking up when something isn't working

Texas-specific guidance: The Texas Education Agency suggests following IDEA requirements for including students in IEP meetings and transition planning at 14 years of age as a guide for Section 504 meetings. This is an excellent model for building self-advocacy.

Understanding Their Own Accommodations

Your child should know and understand their accommodations before college.

By high school, your teen should know:

What accommodations they have
Why each accommodation helps them
How to use accommodations effectively
Which accommodations are most important for their success
What accommodations they might need in college

Help them reflect on:

Which accommodations do they actually use?
Which accommodations make the biggest difference?
Are there accommodations they don't need anymore?
Are there new challenges that require different accommodations?

This reflection helps them request appropriate accommodations in college rather than just asking for everything from their high school plan.

Gathering Documentation for College

While the 504 Plan doesn't transfer, gathering the right supporting documentation is crucial for college.

Comprehensive evaluation reports:

Psychoeducational evaluations
Neuropsychological evaluations
Medical evaluations and diagnoses
Any testing done by the school or outside providers

Medical documentation:

Diagnosis letters from physicians or licensed clinicians
Medical records documenting the disability
Information about medications and treatments
Documentation of how the condition impacts major life activities

History of accommodations:

Current and past 504 Plans
Documentation of what accommodations have been effective
Examples of how accommodations have helped

Academic records:

Transcripts showing academic performance
Standardized test scores
Evidence of success with accommodations

Important timing consideration: Some colleges require recent documentation (within 3-5 years). If your child's last comprehensive evaluation was done in elementary school, consider getting updated testing during high school to have recent documentation for college.

Understanding College Documentation Requirements

Colleges set their own documentation standards (within reason).

Professional diagnosis from a qualified professional:

Licensed physician
Licensed psychologist
Licensed school psychologist
Other qualified professional depending on the disability

Current information:

Many schools want documentation from within 3-5 years
Conditions that are permanent may be more flexible

Impact on major life activities:

How the disability substantially limits learning or other major activities
Functional limitations in the academic environment

Recommendations for accommodations:

What accommodations are appropriate
Why these accommodations are necessary
How they relate to the functional limitations

Note: College disability services offices will make the final determination about what accommodations are appropriate in the college setting. High school accommodations inform this but don't dictate it.

The College Disability Services Process

Understanding how the college process works helps you prepare your child.

Step 1: Self-Identification

The student must contact the college's disability services office (sometimes called "Office of Accessibility Services," "Disability Resource Center," or similar).

When to do this:

As soon as accepted to college (don't wait until classes start)
Best to make contact over the summer before freshman year
Can register with disability services even before deciding which college to attend

What the student does:

Complete registration forms for disability services
Submit documentation of disability
Schedule an intake appointment

Step 2: Documentation Review

The disability services office reviews the documentation to determine:

Whether the student has a documented disability
What functional limitations exist
What accommodations are appropriate for the college environment

Important: The office may request additional documentation or updated testing if the submitted documentation is insufficient.

Step 3: Interactive Process

The student meets with a disability services coordinator to discuss:

The nature of the disability
How it impacts them in academic settings
What accommodations would be appropriate
How to request accommodations from professors

This is typically an interactive conversation, not just a review of the high school plan.

Step 4: Accommodation Determination

The disability services office determines what accommodations will be provided.

Common college accommodations include:

Extended time on tests (typically time-and-a-half)
Testing in a separate, quiet room
Note-taking assistance or access to class notes
Textbooks in alternative formats (digital, audio)
Use of assistive technology
Permission to record lectures
Preferential seating
Flexibility with attendance policies (for medical conditions)
Reduced course load (may affect financial aid)
Assignment deadline extensions (less common than in K-12)

Accommodations generally NOT provided in college:

Modifications to essential course requirements
Lowering of academic standards or expectations
Fundamental alterations to degree programs
Modifications to clinical or field experience requirements if essential
Personal attendants or care providers
Individual tutoring (beyond what's available to all students)

Step 5: Using Accommodations

Once approved, the student receives accommodation letters to provide to professors.

Student responsibilities:

Request new accommodation letters each semester
Provide letters to professors for each class
Arrange testing accommodations in advance (often 1-2 weeks before tests)
Follow college's procedures for using accommodations
Follow up if accommodations aren't provided

Professor responsibilities:

Provide approved accommodations
Work with disability services if questions arise
Maintain confidentiality

Disability services responsibilities:

Facilitate accommodation provision
Provide testing center or other accommodation logistics
Support students when issues arise

Special Considerations for Standardized Tests

If your child will take college entrance exams (SAT, ACT) or professional school exams (MCAT, LSAT, GRE, etc.), they need to request accommodations separately.

Requesting Accommodations on College Entrance Exams

SAT (College Board) and ACT:

Separate application process for accommodations
Requires documentation of disability
Must demonstrate that accommodations are regularly used in school
Best to apply for accommodations in 10th or 11th grade
Having a 504 Plan supports the request but doesn't guarantee approval
May require additional documentation

Timeline:

Apply early; approval can take several weeks
Plan ahead for testing dates
Allow time for appeals if initially denied

Professional School Exams

Graduate and professional school entrance exams (MCAT, LSAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.) have their own accommodation request processes:

Each testing company has different requirements
Typically require current, comprehensive documentation
May have stricter standards than undergraduate accommodations
Plan ahead—can take months for approval

Rights and Responsibilities: The Shift to Adulthood

Perhaps the biggest transition is the shift from parental advocacy to student self-advocacy.

What Changes at Age 18

When your child turns 18 (or enrolls in postsecondary education), they become an adult with full rights under the law.

This means:

Educational privacy rights transfer to the student under FERPA
The student controls access to educational records
Schools communicate directly with the student, not parents
The student makes decisions about accommodations and services
Parents are not entitled to information without student consent

In K-12: Even after age 18, if the student is still in high school, parents maintain some involvement, though practices vary by district.

In college: Parents have no automatic rights to information or involvement.

Preparing for This Shift

Have conversations about:

Why this shift happens (legal adulthood)
What it means for the student's responsibilities
How parents can still support without taking over
When and how to ask parents for help
What information the student is comfortable sharing with parents

For students who want parental involvement in college:

Student can sign FERPA releases to allow parents access to records
Student can authorize parents to speak with disability services or other offices
Student controls what information parents receive

For parents:

Recognize this is an important developmental step
Support from behind the scenes rather than taking over
Be available when your child asks for help
Encourage problem-solving rather than solving problems for them

Vocational/Technical Programs and Employment

Not all students go to four-year colleges. Section 504 also applies to vocational programs and employment.

Vocational and Technical Programs

Vocational/technical schools and certificate programs that receive federal funding are covered by Section 504 and ADA.

Students have rights to:

Reasonable accommodations in classroom instruction
Accommodations in hands-on training
Modifications to non-essential program elements
Equal opportunity to participate

Similar to college:

Student must self-identify
Student must provide documentation
Student requests accommodations
No fundamental alterations to essential program requirements

Employment and ADA

When your child enters the workforce, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides protections.

Key differences from education:

Employer must provide reasonable accommodations that don't cause undue hardship
Employee must be qualified for the job (can perform essential functions with or without accommodation)
No obligation to provide accommodations until the employee discloses disability and requests them
Different documentation standards and processes

Your young adult should understand:

Whether to disclose disability to employer (complex decision)
How to request accommodations in the workplace
What types of accommodations are available
Their rights under ADA

Resources for Transition Planning

Several resources can help with the transition process:

Office for Civil Rights (OCR):

Provides resources on transition to postsecondary education
"Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities" is an excellent guide

College disability services offices:

Often have information on their websites about documentation requirements
May offer pre-enrollment consultations
Some offer summer programs for incoming students with disabilities

Vocational rehabilitation services:

State vocational rehabilitation agencies can assist with transition planning
May provide support for postsecondary education or employment
Can help with documentation or assistive technology

High school transition planning:

Work with your school counselor on transition planning
Many high schools offer transition programs or resources
Consider visiting college disability services offices during campus tours

Final Thoughts on Transition

The transition from K-12 to postsecondary education represents a significant shift in how disability services work, but it doesn't mean the end of support.

Key messages for students:

Your disability doesn't disappear after high school
You still have rights to accommodations and support
You have more responsibility for managing your accommodations
Self-advocacy is a skill you can learn and improve
It's okay to ask for help figuring out the process

Key messages for parents:

Start building self-advocacy skills early
Gradually shift responsibility to your child during high school
Gather and organize documentation before graduation
Understand that you'll have a different role in college
Your support matters even when you're not directly involved

The goal: A successful transition where your young adult understands their disability, can advocate for their needs, and accesses the accommodations necessary to succeed in their chosen postsecondary path.