Delaware 504 Accommodation List: What Goes in a Delaware 504 Plan

A 504 Plan is only as useful as the accommodations written into it. Generic or vague accommodations — "provide additional support as needed," "check in with student regularly" — look good on paper but give teachers no specific guidance and give parents no concrete basis for holding the district accountable.

This is a working reference for Delaware parents on what 504 accommodations actually look like, organized by the types of barriers students most commonly face.

What Delaware's 504 Process Is Trying to Do

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act focuses on access, not instruction. The legal standard is whether a student's physical or mental impairment substantially limits a major life activity — reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, breathing, or others. If it does, the school must provide accommodations that remove or reduce the barrier so the student can access the general education environment on equal footing.

That framing is important when negotiating specific accommodations. Every accommodation you request should be traceable to a specific functional limitation. "My child has ADHD which substantially impairs the major life activity of concentrating, which means she cannot sustain attention during long reading tasks. Accommodation: extended time on reading-based assessments."

Delaware districts oversee 504 Plans independently — there is no DDOE-level state monitoring equivalent to what the Exceptional Children Resources workgroup does for IEPs. Section 504 is a civil rights statute enforced by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR). That means if the district is not implementing the plan as written, your formal complaint route is an OCR complaint, not a state complaint to the DDOE.

Accommodations for Attention and Executive Function (ADHD)

Students with ADHD commonly face barriers related to sustained attention, impulse control, organization, and task initiation. Effective accommodations target these specific functions:

• Extended time (typically 1.5x or 2x) on tests and extended assignments
• Preferential seating near the teacher or away from high-traffic areas
• Frequent, brief check-ins from the teacher during independent work time
• Break cards allowing the student to request a short movement break
• Chunked assignments — large tasks broken into smaller segments with separate deadlines
• Reduced quantity of written work (e.g., answer 10 of 20 questions) without reducing the rigor assessed
• Use of a homework planner or assignment log, initialed by the teacher daily
• Verbal reminders before transitions between activities
• Testing in a reduced-distraction environment (separate room or small group)
• Permission to use fidget tools during seated work or assessments

Accommodations for Reading and Language-Based Disabilities (Dyslexia, SLD)

• Text-to-speech software for reading tasks (e.g., Kurzweil, Read&Write, or built-in iOS/Android tools)
• Audiobook versions of assigned reading
• Digital textbooks accessible with TTS
• Extended time on all reading-based tasks
• Access to read-aloud support for standardized assessments where permitted by Delaware's accessibility guidelines
• Enlarged print or adjusted font spacing for worksheets and assessments
• Reduced visual clutter on printed materials
• Note-taking support (teacher-provided outlines or guided notes)
• Tests read aloud by a proctor if TTS software is not available

Accommodations for Anxiety and Mental Health Conditions

• A quiet space or designated exit pass for use when anxiety escalates
• Advanced notice of schedule changes or test dates (minimum 48 hours)
• Flexible seating options (standing desk, chair near the door)
• Option to complete presentations in a smaller setting or record a video rather than present to the full class
• Modified oral presentation requirements if the anxiety is specifically tied to public speaking
• Designated adult contact person the student can check in with each day
• Reduced homework load during identified high-stress periods (state testing week, exam season)
• Testing in a separate small-group or individual setting
• A written copy of verbal instructions provided to all students

Accommodations for Physical Disabilities and Medical Conditions

For students with physical disabilities, chronic illness, or complex medical needs, the 504 Plan often incorporates a Health Care Plan alongside the standard accommodations.

• Unrestricted bathroom access without requiring teacher permission
• Access to water, snacks, or medication during the school day
• Modified physical education requirements if the disability affects mobility or stamina
• Elevator access if the school has multiple floors
• Accessible seating arrangements in every classroom
• Permission to use mobility aids anywhere on campus
• Reduced-load schedule or shortened school day if medically indicated
• Homebound instruction provision for extended medical absences
• A written emergency protocol for specific conditions (diabetes management, severe allergy response, seizure plan)

For students with Type 1 Diabetes, severe allergies, or conditions requiring medication administration, a detailed Health Care Plan under the 504 framework is standard in Delaware districts. The plan should specify who administers medication, under what circumstances, and what emergency steps to take.

Accommodations for Students Who Are Multilingual Learners

Delaware's multilingual learner population represents 13% of total student enrollment. Students who are both English language learners and have a disability may need accommodations in their 504 that account for both barriers:

• Extended time on all language-based tasks
• Bilingual or translated materials where available
• Use of a translation dictionary or device during assessments
• Native language support for parent-teacher communication

What to Watch For in Delaware 504 Plans

Several patterns are common in Delaware districts that weaken 504 Plans in practice:

Vague language. "Accommodations as needed" is not an accommodation. Each accommodation should specify what the district will provide, in what context, with what frequency. "Extended time of 1.5x on all timed assessments" is specific. "More time if necessary" is not enforceable.

Accommodations that depend on teacher discretion. "Teachers may provide notes" means nothing unless it is written as a requirement. "Teacher will provide teacher-generated guided notes for all lectures" is enforceable.

No written Health Care Plan for medical conditions. If the 504 is triggered by a medical condition and there is no Health Care Plan attached, the document is incomplete. The Health Care Plan should detail who is responsible for each component of the student's care during the school day.

Annual review not happening. Unlike IEPs, which have strict annual review requirements, 504 Plan reviews are less formally mandated. But they must still occur. If your child's 504 has not been reviewed in over a year and their needs have changed, request a 504 team meeting in writing.

If the district is not implementing the 504 accommodations as written — or if the plan contains accommodations so vague they cannot be consistently applied — you can file an OCR complaint with the U.S. Department of Education. Document the specific instances of non-implementation with dates and descriptions before filing.

The Delaware IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a 504 accommodation checklist organized by disability type, a guide to distinguishing when a student needs a 504 versus an IEP, and a template for requesting a 504 review meeting or challenging a plan that is not being followed.

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