Differences between Secondary and Postsecondary Education
High Schools
Applicable Laws
Individuals with
Disabilities
Education Act
(IDEA)
Colleges/Universities
Grinnell College
Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), as amended
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973.
Dept. of Housing and Urban
Development Regulations
FERPA (Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act)
All of the information in the
College section is applicable.
Enable student
success
Provide equal access
Disability Services provides equal
access; other services for all
students available to enhance
success
Connecting with
the Disability
Resources
If a staff member
or teacher believes
a student has a
disability the h.s.
must work with
the student and
their family to
create an IEP and
transition plan.
Students must self-report and
All of the information in the
actively seek resources from the
College section is applicable.
disability services office. Disability
services offices will often reach
out to students who have
disclosed to other staff but the
student must respond to that
outreach and complete the
accommodations process in order
to receive services.
Documentation
Individual
Education Plan
(IEP)
Student self-report
Director’s observations and
interactions
Section 504 plan
Current evaluations from
applicable professional including
diagnosis, testing results, and
other points may be required.
-Student must get evaluation at
own expense.
Section 504,
Rehabilitation Act
of 1973
Goal
School conducts
evaluations as
needed.
Documentation guidelines based
on Association on Higher Education
and Disability (AHEAD) guidance
(http://www.ahead.org).
IEPs and504s from high school and
student interviews may be used as
additional information.
Parental Role
Student Role
Teachers/
Professors/
Curriculum/
Grades
School is required
to include parents
in process.
College officials are precluded
from including parents once
student is enrolled (regardless of
age).
The student can dictate how they
do (or do not) want their parents
involved in their accommodations
process.
Parents have
access to student
records.
Parents do not have access to
students’ records in most cases.
Once enrolled, parents do not have
access to any disability services
records unless student signs
written consent.
Parents advocate
for student.
Students advocate for themselves.
Student is
identified and
supported by
parents/teachers.
Students self-identify to
disabilities services or other
designated staff (even if parents
contact the office first).
Once a student comes forward, the
Disability Services office will
explain policies, procedures, and
philosophy to student.
Implementing
accommodations
is school’s
responsibility.
Seeking and implementing
accommodations is the student’s
responsibility.
Student chooses whether or not to
self-identify and/or use services.
Modifications to
curriculum and/or
changes to the
pace may be
made. (Not for
college credit
classes, however.)
Modifying essential components
of courses and/or curriculum is
not an option.
The College is writing intensive.
Students are required to write in
most classes.
Multi-sensory approaches may or
may not be used. The frequency
of tests and assignments varies.
The types of evaluations vary
significantly.
Group work and class participation
is a frequent expectation.
Multi-sensory
approaches used.
Frequent testing,
and graded
assignments used.
Attendance taken
and reported.
Grades may be
modified based on
curriculum.
Attendance may or may not be
taken; student is responsible for
attending class.
Grades based upon the objectives
and standards listed in the course
syllabus.
Classroom attendance is
considered an essential component
of the curriculum. Students that
miss class frequently, regardless of
the reason, may encounter
situations where faculty will not
take the late work and may fail the
student for lack of participation.
Course Selections Courses selected
and
by counselor;
Requirements
requirements may
be modified to
accommodate
disability.
Process
High school I.E.P.
team drives the
process.
Housing
Usually not
Accommodations relevant as most
traditional-aged
h.s. students live
at home.
Student is responsible for knowing
requirements and with the
guidance of an advisor, selecting
courses.
Course substitutions for
requirements may occur in
specific situations.
Students must articulate any
concerns or issues with particular
requirements to their advisor.
Most often the student and their
adviser can choose courses in the
open curriculum which minimize
the impact of the disability.
When a student (or parent of a
student) discloses a disability to
an employee (excluding Health
and Counseling Services), the
information is to be
communicated to Disability
Services (or the faculty-staff
member refers the student
disability services).
If the Disability Services office
receives information regarding a
disability from any source, staff
members then reach out to student
to let the student know of available
resources, policies, procedures, and
philosophy.
Some colleges have the housing
staff make accommodation
decisions; others have the
disability services provider make
such decisions.
Students are to make requests for
housing accommodations to
Residence Life staff who process
accommodation requests.
Residence Life staff may consult
with other disability services
professionals to determine the best
accommodations.
Adapted from Beloit College, Learning Enrichment and Disability Services Office Retrieved from
http://www.beloit.edu/dss/assets/How_College_is_Different_than_H.S._Fall_2010.pdf
Differences Between Secondary and Postsecondary Disability Laws
Differences
Secondary Education
What is the law? IDEA and Section 504
What is the IDEA: To provide a free, appropriate public
intent of the education in the least restrictive
law? environment to students with disabilities.
504: To ensure that no otherwise qualified
person with a disability is denied access to,
benefits of, or is subjected to discrimination
in any program or activity provided by any
public institution or entity.
Who is covered All infants, children and youth requiring
under the law? special education services until age 21 or
graduation from high school.
Postsecondary Education
ADA and Section 504 (Subpart E)
To ensure that no otherwise qualified
person with a disability will be denied access
to, or the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination by any program or activity
provided by any public institution or entity.
All qualified individuals with disabilities who
meet the entry age level criteria or
particular program entry criteria of the
college and who can document the
existence of a disability as defined by the
ADA.
Students are responsible for selfidentification and for obtaining disability
documentation from a professional who is
qualified to assess their particular disability.
They student, not the institution, assumes
the cost of the evaluation.
Who is
responsible for
identifying and
documenting the
need?
School districts are responsible for
identifying, evaluating and planning
educational services at no expense to the
parent or individual.
Who is
responsible for
initiating service
delivery?
School districts are responsible for
identifying students with disabilities and
providing special instruction, individualized
education plans, and/or accommodations.
Students are responsible for notifying the
Disability Support Services staff of their
disability and of their need for
accommodations. Accommodations (not
special education) are provided on a
semester by semester basis in order for
students with disabilities to have equal
access to the institution's programs, services
and activities.
Who is
responsible for
enforcing the
law?
IDEA is basically a funding statute, enforced
by the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitation Services in the U.S.
Department of Education. ADA/504 are civil
rights statues, enforced by the Office for
Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of
Justice, and the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Section 504 (Subpart E) is a civil rights
statute enforced by the Office for Civil
Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Education.
The ADA is also a civil rights statute
enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice,
and the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC).
Differences
Secondary Education
What about self- The parent or guardian is the primary
advocacy? advocate. Students with disabilities should
learn about their disability, the importance
of self-advocacy, the accommodation(s)
they need, and ways to become a selfadvocate.
Postsecondary Education
Students must be able to communicate
what their disability is, their strengths,
weaknesses, how the disability impacts and
functionally limits major life activities. They
must be able to identify and justify any
requested accommodations.