Navigating the 504 & IEP Process: What Parents Need to Know

Is your child struggling to keep up — academically, emotionally, or both?

Has your child recently received a diagnosis, and you’re wondering how that translates into school support?

For many families, the process of early identification and diagnostic evaluation begins with their pediatrician.  What often feels far less clear is how that information translates into meaningful support at school.

The world of 504 Plans and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) can feel like a maze of acronyms, eligibility criteria, and legal language.  This virtual session is designed to bring clarity, confidence, and direction to that process.

Join educational consultant and special education advocate Amy Morales, M.Ed.; HWC for a practical and empowering conversation about how to move from diagnosis to coordinated school support.

What We’ll Cover:

• Where It Begins: Understanding how early documentation and diagnosis intersect with school-based services — and why your pediatrician is your first and best ally in documenting concerns.
• 504 Plan vs. IEP: Understanding the difference, what each provides, and how schools determine eligibility.
• The Evaluation Process: How to formally request testing, what assessments involve, and how outside evaluations are considered.
• Using Your Voice: How to communicate effectively with educators to ensure accommodations and services are implemented — not just written into a plan.
• Your Parental Rights: A clear overview of IDEA and Section 504 — explained in accessible language.

Why Attend?

You know your child best — and you are not alone in navigating this process.

This event offers practical guidance and clear next steps for the “What now?” and “What’s next?” questions that often follow a new diagnosis.

You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of the process and greater confidence in how to move forward.

Register for the live, virtual talk HERE. 

*Live class tickets are $10 per family. Registrants who attend the live, virtual talk will have an opportunity to ask questions at the conclusion of the event. (after the recorded session has ended)

The recorded video of the class training will be available within a few weeks afterwards as a free resource on Annapolis Pediatrics' website.

Visit our website "Classes and Events" page for additional talk topics as part of this 2026 series - "Empowered Parents, Resilient Children" at: https://annapolispediatrics.com/events