Accommodations vs modifications

Accommodations change how your child learns or shows what they know. They don't change what your child is expected to learn. Extra time, breaks and answering out loud instead of writing are all examples. Modifications change what your child is expected to learn or produce, such as fewer or easier questions or a shorter assignment. So with accommodations, your child is held to the same bar as classmates, and with modifications, they aren't.

Both are meant to help your child learn, and both can go into an individualized education program (IEP). Federal special education rules use both words but don't define them, so the split comes from guidance, not the law itself. Many people use the two words as if they mean the same thing. Guidance often says modifications belong in IEPs, not 504 plans, while the Section 504 rule also allows special education and related services.

Say your child has trouble writing. An accommodation might let them give answers out loud, and they'd still answer the same questions as everyone else. A modification might give them fewer questions or easier work. On state tests, only accommodations that keep the score valid are allowed. Your child also shouldn't be moved out of a regular class just because they need changes to what's taught.

• Which one is in the plan: Ask the school team whether each support in your child's plan is an accommodation or a modification.
• Grade-level work: Ask how any modifications will be reviewed and what they mean for your child's grade-level work.
• What therapy shows: Ask your Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) which supports help your child in sessions, so you can bring that to the IEP meeting.