*Names followed by an asterisk have been changed for anonymity

Amanda* ’23 has always been academically strong but struggled with AP Calculus. No matter how much she studied, she couldn’t finish the tests in time. The pressure of multiple AP classes was weighing on her.  In desperation, she saw only one way out of her struggle: extra time.

She had controllable amounts of stress that were primarily driven by the challenging nature of the tests, and while she knew that her anxiety was not debilitating, she felt that extra time could be beneficial to her grade. Afterall, Amanda and her family had seen several students and friends benefit from getting 504 plans that included an extra time accommodation due to anxiety. So they decided to explore the option.

Amanda went to a therapist and explained how stressed she was. After a couple of sessions, Amanda received an anxiety diagnosis.

“She went to a therapist and said she had stress but it was really just [AP Calc AB tests] are really hard,” Amanda’s sister said.

Then, Amanda and her family requested a 504 plan that allowed her a time-and-a-half accommodation, which was approved shortly after. Almost instantly, her grade improved.

Amanda’s sister shared this story with Inklings, but it’s not unique to her, as statistics can support.

A significant increase in 504 plans implemented at Staples has been documented over the past six years. In 2019, 19% of Staples students had 504 plans, compared to a national average of just 1.5%. Today, that number has risen to 433 students—26.6% of the student body—while the national average remains significantly lower at 2.3%. This means that while the percentage of Staples students with 504 plans has grown by 6.5% since 2019, the national increase has been just 0.8%.

“Certainly there’s been a rise in the number of 504 plans, and certainly when it comes to more issues around mental health – anxiety, depression and things like that,” Director of School Counseling William Plunkett said.

The purpose of a 504 plan under the law is to allow students with a disadvantage to perform at the academic level they would achieve without their disability.

Students or parents begin the process of receiving a 504 plan by requesting a meeting with their school counselor. The meeting is composed of the student, legal guardians, counselor and the assistant principal. Teachers are also invited. Some families may involve an educational advocate, an expert in the 504 process. From there, the specific accommodations the student will receive are decided.

“[Getting a 504 is] not about maximizing potential. That’s something that we hear a lot about,” Plunkett said. “Maybe the student’s getting all B’s in some honors and AP classes, but they could get an A — that’s really not Section 504. The law is written so that students can access the regular curriculum just like everybody else.”

But despite the law’s intention, the uptick in the number of 504s suggests that the process may be flawed.

“There has been overuse and exploitation of the program, which is not so good,” Bailey*, a student without a 504 plan, said. “And the students that are aware will misuse the system to their advantage.”

The rising number of 504 plans at Staples may, in part, be driven by the immense academic pressure students face. Both students and parents may seek accommodations to manage the school’s rigorous expectations.

“I think sometimes there’s more pressure in this school. I think students put more pressure on themselves, too, so you might see stress levels rising,” school counselor P.J. Washenko said. “It’s tricky because there’s everyday stress that’s just part of life, and then there are higher levels of stress where there’s more in play because so much is going on.”

In comparison with a similar high-performing high school suggests that this steep increase in the number of 504s is unique to Staples.

Wilton High School ranks similarly to Staples within public schools, as they both are in the top 10% of testing scores and the top 5% of graduation rates. Median household incomes are also comparable, with Wilton at $227,165 and Westport at $236,892. Yet, according to Andrea J. Leonardi, the Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Student Services at Wilton, only 14.2% of their students have 504 plans. This means Staples has 12.4% more.

Westport’s process for receiving a 504 may explain why Staples has an increased number of 504s. Unlike other academic evaluations that rely on measurable factors like grades or test scores, the 504 process places a lot of trust in the student to accurately convey their challenges. 504 plans are granted based on a student’s individual experiences and needs, which are often not immediately visible.

Many disabilities or conditions that qualify for accommodations—such as anxiety, ADHD, or chronic illnesses—do not always manifest in obvious ways, making it difficult for teachers and administrators to assess them at a glance. Instead, the decision to provide a 504 plan depends largely on the student’s narrative, medical documentation and the extent to which their condition impacts their ability to access education on an equal playing field.

This reliance on personal disclosure and professional assessments means that students who have strong parental or institutional backing have a more likely chance of attaining a 504.

“When people who need a 504 get one, it only levels the playing field,” Alex* a Staples student without a 504 plan said. “However, when people who don’t need a 504 get one, they get an advantage.”

If students receive 504s that are not truly warranted, the accommodations contradict their purpose under the law to provide equity. This may lead students who need accommodations to feel a growing stigma, as others assume that every 504 is granted without necessity.

“We’re labeled, judged and either envied for something as basic as extended time or quietly scrutinized, as if requiring accommodations makes us inherently unintelligent,” Sam* a Staples student with a 504 plan said.

This stigma is compounded by the challenges teachers face in managing a growing number of 504 accommodations. Many teachers claim to have a large number of students with 504 plans that increasingly call for extra time.

“It is difficult to accommodate all the 1.5 extra time requests, especially when such a large percentage of students have it,” one anonymous teacher wrote as a response in an Inklings survey.

As some educators struggle to implement the accommodations effectively, some students who depend on these supports get frustrated.

Rachel* ’26, has a 504 plan and said that in one of her classes, so many students had accommodations that the teacher started giving the whole class extra time.

This practice is in direct violation of the 504 plans. If a teacher gives extra time to everyone, then nobody is actually receiving their extra time accommodation.

“Everyone has extra time now,” Rachel* ’26 said, “it feels like the norm at Staples.”

This story was originally published on Inklings on March 24, 2025.