An educator’s guide to Section 504 plans: Q&A with Vanderbilt special education researcher Meghan Burke

If you are an educator-or work with educators-then it's likely you have encountered Section 504 plans. These plans support more than 1.3 million students with disabilities across the country, but they differ from Individualized Education Plans, or IEPs.

In the second installment of our two-part series, Vanderbilt Peabody Collegeresearcher Meghan Burke, professor of special education, answers key questions that educators might have about Section 504 plans, from how students qualify, to seeking support for a child in need, to examples of accommodations.

For further information, Burke suggests educators explore resources from a Parent Training and Information Center. Or view her paper, published in Intervention in School and Clinic, which provides in-depth answers to common Section 504 plan questions.

The first video in this series answers questions for caregivers about educational support plans and can be viewed here.

Meghan Burke teaches and conducts research at Peabody College of education and human development, widely recognized for its top-ranked Department of Special Education. Her work has included more than 170 published articles, the development of advocacy programs like the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Volunteer Advocacy Project, and serving as editor for the field's top journals.