College · Family Resources

No IEP in college.
Here is the plan.

In high school the school finds the student and writes the plan. In college nothing happens until the student registers with the disability office and asks. Gather the papers, register early, and track each accommodation from request to approval.

Start a planWhat you get

Your college plan

The worked example is made up: a first-year student 69 days from the start of term with three requests ready and no registration yet, and a returning student with one request denied. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

College · Family ResourcesFree

What you finish with
A record per student per college with the disability services office, the first day of classes and the housing deadline; four documentation items; seven steps from registering to talking with professors; each accommodation and its status. Counts down to the term and lists every request; flags an office not yet contacted, the housing deadline, a denial (reconsideration, grievance and the 180-day OCR complaint window) and how college differs from high school.
Who it is for
High school juniors and seniors with an IEP or 504 plan, their parents and counselors, and college students starting or changing accommodations.
Format
Browser checklist with a saved record per college. Prints one plan to take to the intake meeting, every plan in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Family Resources space in Caveat College.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Ask the high school for the Summary of Performance and the last evaluation.
  2. Read the college’s documentation guidelines.
  3. Register with the disability office as soon as you commit.
  4. Request housing accommodations by the housing deadline.
  5. Send letters to professors at the start of every term.

Start a plan

What changes after high school

High school and college, side by sideHIGH SCHOOLCOLLEGEThe lawIDEA and Section 504ADA and Section 504Who starts itThe school finds and evaluatesThe student registers and asksThe planIEP or 504 planAccommodation lettersWhat changesInstruction can be modifiedAccess, not lower requirementsWho pays for testingThe schoolUsually the studentHigh school and collegeThe lawHS: IDEA and Section 504College: ADA and Section 504Who starts itHS: The school finds and evaluatesCollege: The student registers and asksThe planHS: IEP or 504 planCollege: Accommodation lettersWhat changesHS: Instruction can be modifiedCollege: Access, not lower requirementsWho pays for testingHS: The schoolCollege: Usually the student
Colleges must provide reasonable accommodations, but not changes that would alter what a course requires, and not personal services such as private tutoring or a personal aide.

The student leads

Colleges cannot ask about a disability during admission, and they will not reach out after it. The student decides whether to register, what to share and when, and has to ask again each term. Parents can help prepare but usually cannot speak for an adult student without written consent.

If a request is denied

Ask the office for its reasons in writing and whether different documentation would help. Every college has a grievance process for disability decisions, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights accepts complaints within 180 days of the problem.

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities (ed.gov).
  2. U.S. Department of Education. Transition of Students with Disabilities to Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators (ed.gov).
  3. Association on Higher Education and Disability. Supporting Accommodation Requests: Guidance on Documentation Practices (ahead.org).
  4. U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. How to File a Discrimination Complaint (ed.gov/ocr).

The worked example is made up. Each college sets its own documentation rules and process; this page organizes the steps and is not legal advice. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.