Caveat specialty · IEPs and 504 plans

Special education, explained and supported

For families of students with IEPs and 504 plans, or wondering whether their student needs one: the words, the rights, the free tools, and how Caveat helps at every meeting.

Special education is Caveat's specialty.We help families of students with IEPs and 504 plans in grades 6 to 12 understand the paperwork, ask for the right supports, prepare for every meeting, and plan the move to high school, college and work. Autism is a specialty within it.

Start here

If you are	Free tool
Wondering whether your student needs an evaluation	Who can help · Ask the school for an evaluation
Not sure whether an IEP or a 504 plan fits	IEP or 504?
Reading an IEP and unsure the goals are strong	IEP goal checker
Looking for supports to ask about	Accommodations finder
Planning for life after high school	Transition planner
Supporting a student on the autism spectrum	Autism support

The words you will hear

Term	In plain words
IEP	Individualized Education Program: the written plan for special education services under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
504 plan	A plan of accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, for students whose disability limits a major life activity such as learning.
Present levels	The part of the IEP that describes how your student is doing now. Every goal and service should connect to it.
Accommodation	A change in how a student learns or shows learning, such as extra time. The standard stays the same.
Modification	A change in what a student is expected to learn, such as fewer or different standards.
Least restrictive environment	Students with disabilities learn alongside students without disabilities as much as appropriate.
Prior written notice	The school's written explanation when it proposes or refuses a change. You can ask for it.
Independent educational evaluation	An evaluation by someone outside the school, which you can request at public expense if you disagree with the school's evaluation.

How Caveat helps

Read every IEP, 504 plan and evaluation with you, in plain language.
Spot gaps: goals that cannot be measured, services that do not match the needs, accommodations that are not happening.
Prepare you for meetings and join them by video as your support person.
Track progress reports and timelines, and draft clear emails to the school.
Plan transition: high school, college disability services, work and adult services.

General information about federal law, not legal advice. Caveat advisors are not attorneys. States add their own rules and timelines; your school must give you your state's parent rights notice (procedural safeguards).

Want help with this part? Your Caveat advisor reviews the plan, prepares you for every meeting and tracks progress with you.

Book a free 20-minute call See special education services

This tool is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Each college decides admission, aid and how credit counts, and requirements change; check each college's own pages. Examples are examples, not promises. Caveat Academic Services is an independent college preparation company. Students do all of their own work.