Common School Acronyms And What They Mean

504? IEP? These are just a few terms you may have heard from your child’s teacher or school counselor. Now that the new school year is in full swing, several amazing school staff members want to work with you to make sure it is the best school year yet! This means there may be some communications and possible meetings coming up in the future. 

With meetings come many common acronyms in education. The following abbreviations and acronyms and their definitions are some of the ones we feel are most commonly confused with one another. 

• 504 Meeting– This is named after Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. It is a part of a civil rights statute that requires the needs of students with disabilities to be met as adequately as non-disabled students. The 504 Plan is developed to ensure that a child with a disability identified under the law attending an elementary or secondary educational institution receives accommodations. These accommodations are implemented to ensure a student’s academic success and access to an appropriate learning environment.

• IEP– This stands for an Individualized Education Plan. An IEP is a plan created by parents and school personnel to ensure each child is set up for success. The plan may include accommodations or modifications for each child that qualifies.

• ARD– ARD is an acronym for Admission, Review, and Dismissal. An ARD meeting is held to determine whether or not a student is eligible for special education and develops the Individual Education Program (IEP) for eligible students.

• IAP– Often confused with the IEP, the IAP is the Intervention Assistance Team. The IAP is a group of amazing parents, teachers, support staff, and counselors who work together to help every child reach their full potential. 

These are just a few educational acronyms commonly used but can be the most confusing or even intimidating sounding ones. If you have a parent/teacher conference coming up and aren’t sure what questions to ask, check out our other blog, Start The School Year Off Strong: A Guide For Parents, which has a list of questions you find useful during your parent/teacher conferences.

About the Authors

Apara Autism Center is a leading provider of ABA therapy in Texas. We understand the difficulty of dealing with uncertainty and are prepared to assist you with our collaborative developmental therapy support. If you’re looking for ABA therapy near you, we have centers in Houston, Dallas, and surrounding areas. Apara Autism Center employs a team of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBT) that can assist you with resources to help comfort your child during stressful times. If you need more information, don’t hesitate to call (844) 272-7223 or contact us with your questions and concerns.