Having a sound knowledge of federal legislation and educational programs of the 504 plan is important for teachers, parents, and students to avail assistance for the learner’s special condition.
As a part of the same, looking in detail the role of a teacher in the 504 plan is not confined to just understanding the regulations but also extends towards coordinating with other important members of the act. Thereby, they have an important role in linking needed students with the government. The insights in this post can guide you towards their responsibilities and relevant insights in detail.
504 plan Act- And the role of teacher
The 504 plan states that “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability should be excluded from participation in, refused benefits from, or subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial support merely because of their impairment.

The role of the classroom teacher has always necessitated a working knowledge of special education law. Teachers are usually the first to identify children who may be in need of special services and are usually the ones who refer children for evaluation.
For kids with impairments, classroom teachers must be flexible in their teaching methods and expectations. They may need to adapt to the classroom environment, adjust their teaching tactics, or make other modifications for children with difficulties to succeed in school.
Other roles include assessing student development and communicating effectively with parents, in addition to making classroom improvements. Section 504 requires teachers to offer reasonable adjustments as outlined in the accommodation plan.
Responsibilities of teacher in 504 plan
- Teachers should comply with federal and state regulations while offering their services to students. They assist the administration and school district in providing auxiliary aids and ensuring academic standards in providing equitable opportunities to special learners.
- Teachers should keep in contact with the parents of the kids to avoid any disagreements about the student’s housing arrangement. Caretakers and instructors should contact the school principal or the authorized Section 504 staff member if their issues are not handled to their satisfaction. If the strategy is ineffective, it should be changed using the same strategies that were used to create it in the first place. Flexibility in this method will enable everyone to fulfill the needs of the pupils when conditions and students’ needs change.
- Teachers are required by law to provide reasonable adjustments like apps to teach their pupils. This makes the students engage in the same way as their peers. The purpose of a teacher should be to assist pupils in getting the most out of their education. If achieving this aim necessitates the use of a specific aid, a formal request for that assistance must be submitted.
- Instructors also have a role in evaluating pupils’ development. Teachers must provide the modifications described in 504 plans, as well as monitor and participate in plan revisions, according to the law. To be precise, they are in charge of putting selected modifications and techniques on a student’s plan into action.
- Any meetings where a 504 plan is being established should include the instructor. In addition, the teacher should be prepared to provide relevant data and documentation, such as test results, discipline referrals, and anecdotal evidence, to help with the plan’s drafting.

Section 504 Coordinator: Duties and responsibilities
504 coordinator is responsible for avoiding discrimination on school premises. These responsibilities can be handed over to a staff instructor as well. Here are a set of roles of a coordinator:
- Facilitate the LEA’s Section 504/ADA policy implementation.
- Develop, update, and execute consistent Section 504 processes while ensuring compliance.
- Advise the superintendent of schools and the school board on Section 504 compliance concerns and requirements.
- Continual training and assistance for LEA personnel on Section 504 and the execution of Section 504 procedures are required.
- Make it easier for LEA workers with disabilities to get appropriate accommodations.
- Assist LEA administrators, building-level teams, and members of the community with Section 504/ADA problems.
- Organize grievance processes in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Serve as the liaison between the LEA and the Office for Civil Rights. (Resolution of OCR complaints and execution of remedial action plans)
The Role of the Multidisciplinary team
The identification and placement of pupils who are judged to be impaired is the responsibility of a multidisciplinary team created by the school. The evaluation and placement team is given a broad definition. It will be made up of people who are familiar with the kid, the significance of the evaluation results, possible placement possibilities, and the requirements that children with disabilities be taught alongside children without disabilities to the greatest degree possible.
So the bottom line is…
Every student’s education is heavily influenced by their teacher. It is critical for kids with disabilities to have a teacher who knows their requirements and creates a study schedule that meets those needs. Also, in the case of 504 plans too, their role is noteworthy. The above-stated insights give out a clear explanation, which you can go through. Also, other stakes like coordinators and multidisciplinary teams and their roles is also depicted to have a better view of the 504 implementations.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,