The IEP and 504 Cheat Sheet (Free Printable)

A free printable read against IDEA and Section 504, written to help you walk in prepared. Read against IDEA, 34 CFR 300.301(b) and on July 19, 2026. Jump to sources

What is the IEP and 504 Cheat Sheet?

IEP and 504 meetings come with their own vocabulary and a handful of deadlines that are easy to lose track of. This one-page cheat sheet puts the most common terms, a short list of core parent rights and the key federal deadlines in one place, so you can check it quickly instead of hunting through a folder of paperwork.

How to use this printable. This is a plain-language quick reference, not a substitute for reading your child's actual IEP or 504 plan and not legal advice. Deadlines noted here are the federal defaults; some states set their own timeframes, so confirm the specific rule in your state.

How to use it

Keep this in the front of your binder or folded in your bag. It's meant for a quick check during a meeting or a phone call, not as a complete explanation of any single topic; the linked guides go deeper on each one.

What is on the printable

Key terms

IEP (Individualized Education Program): A written plan for a student who needs specialized instruction, developed by a team that includes the parent.
504 Plan: A plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act that provides accommodations for a student with a disability who doesn't need specialized instruction.
FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education): The standard of education a public school must provide to a student with a disability, at no cost to the family.
LRE (Least Restrictive Environment): The requirement that a student with a disability be educated with peers without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate for that student.
Evaluation: The formal assessment process used to determine whether a child has a disability and what services or supports they need.
Reevaluation: A follow-up evaluation required at least once every 3 years unless the parent and school agree it's unnecessary; it can happen no more than once a year unless they agree otherwise.
PLAAFP (Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance): The section of the IEP that describes where the student is now, which the goals are written from.
Accommodation vs Modification: An accommodation changes how a student accesses material or shows what they know without changing the standard; a modification changes what's being taught or expected.
Related Services: Support services like speech therapy, occupational therapy or counseling that help a student benefit from special education.
Procedural Safeguards: The written notice of a parent's rights under IDEA, which the school must give at set points and any time a parent asks.
Prior Written Notice (PWN): The written explanation a school must give a parent whenever it proposes or refuses to change a child's identification, evaluation, placement or services.

Your rights at a glance

You can request an initial evaluation in writing at any time (34 CFR 300.301(b))
The school needs your informed written consent before evaluating your child (34 CFR 300.300(a)(1)(i))
You're part of the IEP Team and can bring anyone with knowledge or special expertise about your child to a meeting (34 CFR 300.321(a)(6))
The school must take steps to make sure you can participate, including scheduling at a mutually agreed time (34 CFR 300.322)
You're entitled to a free copy of your child's IEP (34 CFR 300.322(f))
You get written notice, in language you can understand, whenever the school proposes or refuses to change identification, evaluation, placement or services (34 CFR 300.503)
You can request a copy of your procedural safeguards at any time (34 CFR 300.504)

Deadlines to know (federal defaults, check your state)

Initial evaluation: generally within 60 days of your written consent, unless your state sets its own timeframe (34 CFR 300.301(c)(1))
Annual review: the IEP Team reviews the IEP at least once a year (34 CFR 300.324(b)(1)(i))
Triennial reevaluation: at least once every 3 years, unless you and the school agree it's unnecessary (34 CFR 300.303(b)(2))
Progress reports: the IEP states when periodic progress reports will go home, often concurrent with report cards (34 CFR 300.320(a)(3))

A preview of the free IEP and 504 Cheat Sheet, one printable page

Get the free IEP and 504 Cheat Sheet (PDF)

The key terms, your core rights and the federal deadlines on one plain-language sheet to keep on hand.

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Questions parents ask

Are these deadlines the same in every state?

The 60-day evaluation window is the federal default, but a state can set its own timeframe instead (34 CFR 300.301(c)(1)(ii)). The annual review and triennial reevaluation rules are federal floors that states and districts can't shorten below. Check the state evaluation timelines page for how your state's evaluation window compares to the federal default.

What's the difference between an IEP and a 504 plan in one sentence?

An IEP is for a student who needs specialized instruction and comes with measurable goals; a 504 plan is for a student who needs accommodations to access the same instruction as peers but doesn't need specialized instruction. The IEP vs 504 guide covers this in full.

Do I need to memorize all these terms?

No. Keep this sheet handy and glance at it when a term comes up you don't recognize. Understanding the gist is enough; you can always ask the team to explain a term in the moment.

Every deadline is labeled as a federal default with an explicit prompt to check state variation, consistent with the honesty framing the state-comparison-table page (DESIGN section 2D) is built to satisfy in full detail.

Sources

What the facts on this page come from

IDEA, 34 CFR 300.301(b) and (c)(1) (who may request an evaluation and the 60-day timeline) sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.301
IDEA, 34 CFR 300.300(a)(1)(i) (informed parental consent before an initial evaluation) sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.300
IDEA, 34 CFR 300.321(a)(6) (IEP Team membership, parent may invite others) sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.321
IDEA, 34 CFR 300.322 (parent participation) and 300.322(f) (free copy of the IEP) sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.322
IDEA, 34 CFR 300.503 (prior written notice) sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/e/300.503
IDEA, 34 CFR 300.504 (procedural safeguards notice) sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/e/300.504
IDEA, 34 CFR 300.324(b)(1)(i) (annual IEP review) sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.324
IDEA, 34 CFR 300.303(b) (reevaluation frequency) sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.303
IDEA, 34 CFR 300.320(a)(3) (progress reporting) sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.320

This page is general educational information for parents, not legal or educational advice. It does not tell any family what to do. Every example here is a starting point to discuss and adapt with your child's IEP or 504 team, which decides what fits your child from the evaluation. Confirm anything time-sensitive with your school or district. For a genuinely contested situation, a special education advocate or an attorney who works in your state is the right person to ask.