IEP Modifications in Washington D.C.: Accommodations vs. Modifications
What is the difference between accommodations and modifications in a Washington D.C. IEP?
In Washington D.C., modifications are changes to the curriculum, content, or performance expectations that alter what a student is expected to learn or be assessed on—as distinct from accommodations, which preserve learning standards while changing access conditions. Modifications must be documented in the IEP and are determined by the IEP team based on the child's individual needs and the impact of the disability on learning. DC follows federal IDEA in requiring that IEP teams consider whether a student can participate in the general education curriculum with or without modifications, and document the extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled peers (34 CFR 300.320(a)(5)). DC's strong parental participation requirements under DC Official Code § 38-2571.03 ensure parents receive draft IEPs with proposed modifications no later than 5 business days after the IEP meeting and may challenge any modification through mediation, state complaint, due process, or the Ombudsman.
What Washington D.C. Requires
Modifications alter what the student is expected to learn or demonstrate; they must be distinguished from accommodations in the IEP and be determined by the full IEP team including the parent (34 CFR 300.320(a)(4); DC Official Code § 38-2561.02).
The IEP must include an explanation of the extent to which the child will not participate with nondisabled children in the regular class and other school activities (34 CFR 300.320(a)(5)).
For students taking alternate assessments aligned to alternate achievement standards, modifications to grade-level curriculum expectations must be tied to the alternate standards (34 CFR 300.320(a)(2)(ii); (a)(6)(ii)).
All regular education teachers responsible for implementing IEP modifications must be informed of the specific modifications and their responsibilities (34 CFR 300.323(d)).
Parents receive a draft IEP including proposed modifications no later than 5 business days after the meeting; the final IEP is due within 15 business days if language access compliance is needed (DC Official Code § 38-2571.03).
If parents disagree with a proposed modification, the stay-put rule preserves the child's current educational program during any dispute resolution process (34 CFR 300.518).
Modifications must be reviewed at every annual IEP review and adjusted based on current evaluation data and progress monitoring results (34 CFR 300.324).
Key Timelines
Draft IEP with modifications: no later than 5 business days after the IEP meeting (DC Official Code § 38-2571.03).
Final IEP: within 15 business days if language access is needed (DC Official Code § 38-2571.03).
Annual review of all IEP content including modifications: at least once per year (34 CFR 300.324).