504 Plan for ADHD in Kansas: Accommodations, Eligibility, and How to Get One

Your child has an ADHD diagnosis and is struggling in school. Grades are borderline, focus in class is a constant battle, and testing is brutal without extra time. Their pediatrician or psychologist mentioned a 504 plan. Now you need to know how to actually get one in Kansas and what it should include.

Who Qualifies for a 504 Plan Under Kansas Law

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a federal civil rights law enforced in Kansas schools. Eligibility doesn't require the same intensive evaluation process as an IEP. A student qualifies for a 504 if they have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

ADHD qualifies under this definition. The major life activities affected — concentrating, thinking, reading, organizing, managing time, controlling impulses — are core to ADHD's impact. Kansas schools cannot refuse 504 eligibility to a student with a documented ADHD diagnosis who demonstrates these limitations in the school setting.

One thing that trips up parents: "substantially limits" does not mean the student must be failing. A student with ADHD who earns average grades by working twice as hard as peers, or whose performance deteriorates when unmedicated or under testing conditions, may still qualify. The comparison is to the performance of most people in the general population without the accommodation, not to the individual student's own maximum effort.

How to Request a 504 Plan in Kansas

Start with a written request to the school's Section 504 coordinator or the building principal. The written request matters — it creates a paper trail and starts the formal process. Verbal conversations don't obligate the school to do anything.

Your request should:

• State your child's name, grade, and school
• Identify the disability: ADHD (diagnosis from [provider name] on [date])
• Specify the major life activities substantially limited: concentrating, sustaining attention, managing time, regulating behavior in the classroom
• Request a 504 evaluation and development of a Section 504 plan

Attach the relevant documentation: psychologist evaluation, pediatrician diagnosis letter, any school records showing academic or behavioral impact.

The school should respond and schedule a 504 meeting. Under Section 504 regulations, schools are required to act on requests in a reasonably prompt timeframe, though unlike IDEA's strict 60-school-day window, Section 504 doesn't specify an exact evaluation deadline.

Effective 504 Accommodations for ADHD

The strongest 504 plans for ADHD in Kansas schools address executive functioning directly. Here are the accommodations that typically make the most meaningful difference:

Testing and assignment accommodations:

• Extended time (1.5x or 2x) on all tests and assignments
• Testing in a reduced-distraction environment (separate room, small group)
• Shortened assignments or chunked project delivery (same content, segmented)
• Access to a scribe or speech-to-text for written output difficulties

Attention and organization supports:

• Preferential seating near the teacher and away from high-traffic or high-distraction areas
• Daily planner or agenda check-in with a teacher or aide
• Visual schedule posted in work area
• Access to fidget tools (sensory breaks)
• Advance notice of transitions between activities

Behavioral and self-regulation supports:

• Pre-agreed signal system for student to request a movement break
• A designated "reset" space or sensory break location with a structured protocol
• Check-in/check-out (CICO) behavioral support system
• Consistent warning before transitions

Classroom delivery:

• Instructions broken into single steps with visual cues
• Verbal check-ins from teacher to verify task understanding before student begins
• Reduced homework load (not reduced expectations — reduced volume to reflect the additional processing burden of ADHD)

Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) Accommodations

One critical area 504 plans must address: the Kansas Assessment Program, the state's mandatory standardized tests. Students with a documented 504 plan can access KAP accommodations including extended time, testing in a separate location, and certain digital features. Extended time for standardized testing is not automatic — it must be explicitly listed in the 504 plan and designated in the assessment system.

If your child uses Text-to-Speech technology as an accommodation, note that TTS for English Language Arts reading passages on the KAP is highly restricted. It requires specific documentation and KSDE approval by January 31st of the testing year. Make sure the 504 plan specifies exactly which KAP accommodations are designated so nothing falls through the cracks on test day.

IEP vs. 504 for ADHD: When to Push for an Evaluation

A 504 covers accommodations — it doesn't provide specialized instruction. If your child's ADHD is severe enough that accommodations alone aren't sufficient, and they need structured skills instruction (executive functioning training, explicit reading comprehension strategies, organized writing instruction), an IEP evaluation may be more appropriate.

ADHD typically qualifies under IDEA's Other Health Impairment (OHI) category, which covers conditions that limit strength, vitality, or alertness — including ADHD. If the school has offered only a 504 and you believe your child needs specialized instruction, you can request a full IDEA evaluation in writing at any time. The school must respond with Prior Written Notice — either agreeing to evaluate or formally refusing.

What to Do If the School Refuses or Drags Its Feet

Kansas schools don't have a dedicated funding stream for 504 services — they come out of the general operating budget. Combined with the state's chronic special education underfunding ($173 million gap in 2023-2024), there's institutional pressure to minimize 504 accommodations.

If the school refuses your 504 request without adequate explanation, or stalls without scheduling an evaluation, your options include:

• Filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which enforces Section 504
• Requesting assistance from Families Together at (800) 264-6343
• Contacting the Disability Rights Center of Kansas at (877) 776-1541

The Kansas IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a ready-to-use 504 request letter template, a list of the strongest ADHD accommodations to request by name, and the Kansas-specific rules around service reductions that protect both IEP and 504 students once a plan is in place.

See more United States homeschool guides →