504 Plan Request Letter Template: How to Write the Letter That Starts the Process

A verbal request gets lost. A hallway conversation gets forgotten. An email to the wrong person sits in a queue. The fastest way to get a 504 evaluation started is a written letter sent to the right people with the right attachments.

Who Receives the Letter

Address it to both the school principal and the district's Section 504 coordinator. The district has an obligation to evaluate when it knows or has reason to believe that a student may have a disability and need services; sending the request to the principal and 504 coordinator helps ensure the people responsible receive it.

If you do not know who the 504 coordinator is, call the district's central office and ask. The name goes in the letter.

What the Letter Must Include

A strong request letter has five components:

1. Your child's identifying information. Full name, date of birth, grade, and school.

2. The specific medical condition. Name the diagnosis: type 1 diabetes, epilepsy, severe food allergies, or whatever the treating physician has documented. Avoid vague language like "health issues" or "medical needs."

3. The major life activity affected. This is the legal hook. Type 1 diabetes substantially limits endocrine function. Epilepsy substantially limits neurological function. Severe food allergies substantially limit immune-system function. Use the statutory language from the ADA Amendments Act.

4. A request for formal evaluation under Section 504. State clearly that you are requesting a Section 504 evaluation, not an IHP review or an informal accommodation arrangement. Use the words "Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973."

5. The attached medical documentation. The treating physician's current medical orders — a Diabetes Medical Management Plan, Seizure Action Plan, or Food Allergy Emergency Care Plan. These should be signed, dated, and current.

What Not to Include

Do not apologize for requesting the evaluation. Do not frame it as a favor. Do not ask whether the school thinks your child qualifies. You are invoking a federal civil rights process, not requesting permission.

Do not include proposed accommodations in the request letter. The accommodations are developed at the 504 meeting with the full team. Proposing them in the letter gives the school a chance to object before the process even starts.

Do not include your child's academic records or test scores. Section 504 eligibility is not based on academic performance. Including grades invites the school to argue that your child is "doing fine" — a common and legally incorrect basis for denial.

How to Send It

Email is fine, but follow up with a hard copy. Keep the email brief and attach the letter as a PDF. The subject line should read: "Section 504 Evaluation Request — [Child's Name]."

Date the letter and keep a copy. If you have not received a response, follow up in writing with the district 504 coordinator, reference the original date, and ask when the evaluation will proceed.

After the Letter

The school must evaluate your child when it knows or has reason to believe the child may have a disability and need services. Placement decisions must be made by a group that includes people knowledgeable about your child, the evaluation data, and placement options. Section 504's procedural safeguards allow parents to participate meaningfully in these decisions.

Come to the meeting with your own draft accommodations. The request letter starts the process; the meeting is where you shape the outcome.

The Medical 504 Plan Toolkit includes a ready-to-customize 504 request letter, condition-specific accommodation banks for diabetes, epilepsy, and allergies, and a meeting preparation checklist so you walk in with every document organized.