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504 vs. IEP: Why the Difference Changes Everything
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What’s the real difference between a 504 Plan and an IEP? According to Karen Mayer Cunningham, the answer is simple: everything.
In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen unpacks the critical distinctions between a Section 504 Plan and an Individualized Education Program (IEP)—and why settling for a 504 when your child needs an IEP can set them up for failure instead of success.
You’ll learn:
- Why a 504 is not an education plan—and what that means for your child
- What an IEP actually provides (data, instruction, and measurable progress)
- How schools blur the lines between the two—and why Texas is #1 in IEP denial
- The truth about how school staff “gaslight” parents into giving up
- Karen’s mindset tools for staying firm, focused, and unshaken by school resistance
- The 3Ws of advocacy: “We don’t waffle, waver, or water it down.”
💥 “You’re either setting a child up for destiny or destruction. There is no in-between.”
This is a must-listen for parents, educators, and advocates who want to understand why the IEP is essential—and how to keep pushing until every child gets what they need.
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“When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody.” — Karen Mayer Cunningham
✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨
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