The Trump administration said it plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (DoE), the federal agency responsible for enforcing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). About 7.5 million students from kindergarten through grade 12 receive special education and related services under the IDEA, and nearly 2 million others receive accommodations through 504 Plans.

IEPs are protected by law. As long as the IDEA remains intact, the rights of students with disabilities to IEPs will remain protected. However, the DoE is the primary watchdog for both IDEA and Section 504, so enforcement of IEP and 504 Plan violations could be affected.

Though no IEPs and 504 Plans exist in higher education, both Section 504 and the ADA prohibit discrimination from colleges and universities, and require covered institutions to provide accommodations that will allow students with disabilities to compete on a level playing field.

Parents and educators are worried and asking: What happens if plans to restructure or eliminate the Department of Education are successful?

In this webinar, you will learn:

• About the role of the Department of Education as it relates to special education and higher education issues, with a focus on IEP and 504 Plans for students with ADHD and learning disabilities
• How the Trump administration’s DoE developments would likely or potentially impact students’ accommodations
• How IEP and 504 Plans would be enforced if the DoE is eliminated
• About the recourse parents would have if IEPs or 504 Plans were not followed
• How parents and teachers can advocate for their children during this tumultuous and uncertain time

Watch the Video Replay

Enter your email address in the box above labeled “Video Replay + Slide Access” to watch the video replay (closed captions available) and download the slide presentation.

ADHD Accommodations and Educational Rights: Resources

• Free Download: Your Child’s Legal Rights at School
• Read:  “Is My Child’s IEP in Danger?”
• Read: When Schools Resist Evaluating & Addressing Learning Disabilities
• Get the eBook: The Complete IEP/504 Guide

Obtain a Certificate of Attendance

If you attended the live webinar on April 23, 2025, watched the video replay, or listened to the podcast, you may purchase a certificate of attendance option (cost: $10). Note: ADDitude does not offer CEU credits. Click here to purchase the certificate of attendance option »

Meet the Speaker

Mary J. Goodwin-Oquendo, Esq., is an established and respected disability civil rights attorney and adjunct professor of law at Fordham University School of Law. Her passion for disability advocacy was ignited when she was a child and witnessed how hard her mother had to fight to make sure that her younger brother received appropriate special education placement and services. Mary was later diagnosed with a disabling chronic condition as a young adult, so she understands the importance of accommodations and equal access in post-secondary and professional settings, as well as the unique challenges that people with “invisible disabilities” face when asserting their rights.

For more than 15 years Mary has advocated for individuals with cognitive, physical, and psychiatric disabilities who have experienced discrimination in school and/or require accommodations on high stakes admissions and licensing examinations. Prior to starting her own practice, The Goodwin-Oquendo Law Firm, P.C., she worked closely with her mentor and friend, a highly esteemed activist, attorney, and NYS Assembly Member, Jo Anne Simon, Esq. At the beginning of her career at Jo Anne Simon P.C., she collaborated with various affinity groups to submit vital feedback to the United States Department of Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that was incorporated into the agencies’ final rules enforcing the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008.

Mary is a member of the New York State Bar Association, and an appointed member of the association’s Committee on Disability Rights. She has developed continuing legal education (CLE) coursework for attorneys and currently serves as one of the editors of the New York State Bar Association’s disability treatise. She is also a member of the Disability Rights Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and previously served on the executive board of the New York Urban League Young Professionals and the National Urban League Young Professionals Programs Committee.

Mary has had the honor of speaking before several impactful organizations, including the Annual Stanford Conference on Disability in Healthcare and Medicine, the Jacobus tenBroek Disability Law Symposium, The Docs With Disabilities Podcast, The Coelho Fellowship Conference Panel, The Society of Directors of Academic Medical Physics Programs, and The Headache Alliance. She has also been invited to speak at several universities and colleges.

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March 4, 2025

As the Trump administration moves to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies in the public and private sectors of the United States, my thoughts turn to one of our country’s largest minority groups: people with disabilities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 4 Americans — or 70 million individuals — live with a disability. This diverse group spans all age groups, racial and ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, and religious beliefs. Disability doesn’t discriminate.

DEI programs and initiatives designed to encourage diversity and promote fairness in education and in the workforce benefit people with disabilities, including those with ADHD. And with the dismantling of these programs, we are witnessing a surge in discrimination toward people with disabilities. The full impact of the Trump administration’s dismantling of DEI policies on people with disabilities is difficult to measure but impossible to discount.

Disability In Dire Straits

I have served as a disability advocate for the past 25 years; 15 of those years were in higher education as a professor, program coordinator, and director of disability services. I have a graduate degree in rehabilitation sciences and am a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor. This is not a field I chose; rather, it chose me.

You see, I am also a mom to three children with disabilities and a fierce advocate for many more. In recent years, I have seen a gradual erosion of the services and protections available to individuals living with disabilities. I have been hesitant to voice my concerns over these changes because, by nature, I am a people pleaser. I stay in my lane, keep my head down, and get my work done. But that all changed two years ago.

[Free Resource: Classroom Accommodations for Children with ADHD]

In April 2023, as an assistant professor and rehabilitation counselor, I was offered the opportunity to train more than 500 rehabilitation counselors on multicultural competencies in counseling, among other things, under Florida’s Vocational Rehabilitation program. Cultural competencies help us, as counselors, support our clients by taking into account their backgrounds and acknowledging our own internal biases. I was excited about this collaboration — until Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the training was no longer permitted under the state’s new DEI policies.

Soon after, DeSantis signed a bill into law banning the state’s public universities from spending funds on DEI initiatives. This included training counselors on their ethical obligations as professionals. I explained that people with disabilities are from all demographic backgrounds and that counselors who understand cultural differences can more effectively support their clients’ vocational and mental health needs. I even offered to do the workshops for free. I was shut down.

Colleges and universities live under the threat of having funding withheld if they do not comply with political mandates to eliminate courses, programs, student organizations, support services, and other initiatives with DEI components.

[Read: “Here’s What Happened When I Revealed My ADHD on LinkedIn”]

The Escalating Attack on DEI

Florida’s assault on DEI initiatives two years ago foreshadowed what is happening today in American politics, and the threats to public and private institutions alike is real. I fear that President Trump is setting a national agenda and tone that does not value people with disabilities and their vital contributions to society. The evidence of this is everywhere:

1. The standard Accessibility Statement on the White House website was removed by the Trump administration. This lack of visibility and accessibility underscores a lack of concern for Americans with disabilities, who had visible accessibility statements under Presidents Biden and Obama.
2. The U.S. government has eliminated DEI efforts in all federal agencies and is pressuring private companies to do the same.
3. The Trump administration aims to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (DOE).
• The DOE oversees federal funding for K-12 schools servicing students with disabilities and handles discrimination complaints in education, including non-compliance, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Roughly 7.5 million students, or 15 percent of the student population, receive special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides $15 billion to support students with disabilities. Without the federal DOE, funding for students with disabilities would be eliminated, as well the ability to enforce allocation of services to these students.
• The DOE provides protection. Seventeen states are actively working to eliminate 504 Plans in their education systems. The absence of strong federal oversight would leave millions of students vulnerable to discrimination and lacking the resources needed to be successful in school.
• The DOE provides funding to Title 1 Schools. Federal dollars target schools in low-income areas to “provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps by allocating federal funds for education programs and services,” according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
• The DOE oversees federal student aid to college students. Students could lose untold dollars in loans, grants, and federal student aid if the DOE is eliminated.

Disability rights are human rights. Disability rights are civil rights. Disability rights matter.

We must not turn a blind eye to the strategic maneuvers at play in our national politics. America’s leaders are making calculated decisions that threaten to upend the lives of thousands of Americans with disabilities. We must speak out.

What can we do today?

1. Take a stand. Educate yourself and those around you. Advocate for disability rights.
2. Call or write to your local, state, and federal legislators, your local news organizations, and to President Trump and Vice President Vance. Write op-eds explaining these harmful policies.
3. Organize grassroots efforts in your community to support people with disabilities.
4. Check in on people who are affected by these changes. Let them know they are not alone.
5. Boycott businesses that do not value diversity, equity, and inclusion.
6. Practice self-care. Go for a walk. Have dinner with a friend. Dance. Laugh. This is a marathon, not a sprint. We all need to take care of ourselves.

What Does DEI Mean: Next Steps

• Free Download: 40 Winning Accommodations for Your Child with ADHD or LD
• Read: “DEI – and Neurodivergence – Are Under Attack”
• Read: “Justice for All: What We Lose When the Country Abandons DEI”

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What is Texas v. Becerra?

Texas v. Becerra is a lawsuit filed by 17 states against the United States government that could effectively end 504 Plans for millions of students across the country.

The lawsuit was filed in late 2024 by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against the Biden administration, which changed Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to include gender dysphoria as a protected disability. Notably, the lawsuit also argues that “Section 504 is unconstitutional.” The lawsuit says that “Section 504 is coercive, untethered to the federal interest in disability, and unfairly retroactive” and it asks for “permanent injunctive relief” that would block enforcement of Section 504.

What is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act?

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act codified the civil rights of persons with disabilities and protected them against discrimination while ensuring their equal access to education, employment, healthcare, and public services. It established rules regarding the treatment of people with disabilities by any entity that receives federal funds, including all public schools.

What is considered a disability under Section 504?

The most common disability covered by 504 plans is ADHD, which can significantly impact a student’s ability to learn and regulate attention and emotion in the classroom.

According to Section 504, an “individual with handicaps” includes anyone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity, such as seeing, hearing, speaking, learning, or working. This includes everything from learning disabilities and anxiety to food allergies.

How many children have a 504 Plan?

Approximately 8.5 million public school students across the U.S. have a 504 Plan designed to ensure they can access a free and appropriate education. 504 Plans support students who may not qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) but still need support to fully participate in school.

What is typically included in a 504 Plan?

Accommodations for students with ADHD include extra time on assignments, preferential seating, movement breaks, written and verbal instructions, and organizational tools like planners and daily report cards. These low- or no-cost accommodations are designed to help students with disabilities learn to the best of their ability.

What could happen if the 17 states win Texas v. Becerra?

If the 17 states prevail, and Section 504 is ruled unconstitutional, then all of its protections against discrimination for people with disabilities can be halted across the country. Individual states would be freed from their legal obligation to provide students with aids, services, and protection from discrimination. Millions of students could lose access to their school accommodations.

What’s more, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within the Department of Education is in charge of receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints from parents regarding discrimination and 504 Plan compliance at schools. The OCR is at risk for significant budget and personnel cuts by the Trump administration, which said it plans to dismantle the Department of Education entirely.

What happens next?

The first round of legal briefs is due to the courts next Tuesday, February 25. Prior to that deadline, advocacy groups are encouraging residents of the 17 states involved in the action to petition for withdrawal from the lawsuit. The 17 states include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

What can you do?

Contact your senators and representatives to voice your support for Section 504, for 504 Plans, and for protections for students with disabilities. If your state is one of the 17 named in the lawsuit, contact your state attorney general to demand your state’s withdrawal. If your state is not involved in bringing the case, contact your state attorney general and ask the office to submit an amicus brief on the importance of retaining 504 protections for people with disabilities.

Find suggested language for a letter to your attorney general on the Council for Exceptional Children website.

Find sample language provided by the National Down Syndrome Society here.

The National Council on Independent Living also offers sample language for contacting elected officials.

If you would like to share your thoughts, opinions, or story regarding 504 Plan accommodations, contact ADDitude at submissions@additudemag.com.

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The U.S. Department of Education (DoE) is now sustaining a rapid-fire succession of cuts and changes spearheaded by President Donald Trump and a team within his administration dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and led by billionaire Elon Musk. Significant news this month includes the following:

• February 3: The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump is working on an executive order to shut down all functions of the DoE and/or move them to other government departments and entities. According to CNN, the executive order will direct the secretary of Education to create a plan to diminish the department through executive action, and also seek Congressional legislation to end the department.
• February 6: According to The Washington Post, at least 16 DOGE team members have gained access to the Education Department directory and have fed sensitive personal and financial data — including federal student loan data containing Social Security numbers, birth dates, and driver’s license numbers — into artificial intelligence software. Some were also granted administrator-level status in the department’s email system, allowing them access to the back end of ed.gov.
• February 7: Members of U.S. Congress were barred from entering the Education Department building for a meeting with Education Secretary Denise Carter.
• February 9: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump is weighing “options and how to reduce the size of the Department of Education if not abolish it completely.”
• February 10: The White House ordered an abrupt halt to 89 contracts and 29 grants for research projects underway within the Institute of Education Sciences, an independent research agency within the DoE that is a main source of funding for education research. The agency studies the efficacy of daily report cards for students with ADHD and interventions to improve on-task behaviors, attention, and academic outcomes for students with ADHD, among other things.
• February 11: A federal judge has agreed to hear a lawsuit filed on behalf of The University of California Student Association that accuses the DoE of violating the Privacy Act of 1974 by sharing sensitive data with DOGE staffers. The group has asked the judge to temporarily block the Education Department from continuing this practice and to retrieve any information already transferred to DOGE, according to Higher Ed Dive.
• February 12: Trump announces at a press conference that he wants the Department of Education “closed immediately.” CNN reports that mass firings have started with the termination of probationary (typically new) employees of the DoE “across the agency from the general counsel’s office, to the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services that supports programs for children with disabilities, to the Federal Student Aid office.”

So what does all of this change mean for the 7.5 million U.S. school children (15% of that population) who have special needs and whose public schools receive billions of dollars in funding for services and resources from the U.S. Department of Education?

The impact on special-education programs that fall under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as all Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) do, remains unclear. But here is a rundown of what we know.

[Download: Your Free Guide to the U.S. Education Laws Protecting Students with ADHD]

What does the U.S. Department of Education do?

The U.S. Department of Education, created in 1979, develops and enforces federal education laws; funds special-education programs; administers financial aid programs; and conducts research on schools, students, and educational issues.

The Education Department serves public school students across the United States by:

• Providing funding to support Title I grants for nearly two-thirds of public schools serving 26 million vulnerable students in pre-K through Grade 12
• Funding special-education programs for students with disabilities covered by IDEA, including dyslexia, autism, and ADHD, which falls into the act’s ‘Other Health Impaired’ category if symptoms impact educational performance
• Administering loans and Pell Grants for low-income college students. The DoE distributed approximately $27.2 billion in Pell Grants during the 2022-2023 academic year, and 43 million people have federal student loans
• Enforcing civil rights laws like Title IX, which protects against discrimination based on gender or disability
• Supporting school improvement programs to boost education outcomes
• Funding programs to promote mental health and after-school activities

“The department currently oversees federal student loan programs, distributes financial aid, and enforces policies meant to protect borrowers from predatory lending practices. Eliminating the DoE could introduce uncertainty into loan servicing, possibly delaying repayments, altering forgiveness programs or making it harder for students to access federal aid,” according to Newsweek.

What does the U.S. Department of Education NOT do?

The Department of Education does not set or enforce curricula, or determine state education standards.

State and local school boards decide curriculum, textbooks, and what’s taught in history or science classes. Educator salaries, hiring, and qualifications are determined by state laws and local school boards. Each state adopts its own education standards. Private and religious schools operate independently, and they determine their own tuition prices. Public universities are funded by state governments; the Education Department only provides federal aid and loan programs.

[Quiz: How Well Do You Know U.S. Education Law?]

How big is the Department of Education?

In 2024, the Education Department employed roughly 4,425 people and had a budget of $79 billion.

What is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)?

IDEA is a law governing how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 8 million eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.

IDEA guarantees the right of students with qualified disabilities, such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and more, to participate in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that provide special education and related services and accommodations designed to improve the student’s ability to receive academic instruction.

IDEA also authorizes formula grants to states and discretionary grants to institutions of higher education and other non-profit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technology and personnel development, and parent-training and information centers.

What role does the Education Department play in the IDEA?

The Education Department enforces the IDEA through the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) by doing the following:

• Developing and communicating federal policy for IDEA
• Monitoring and enforcing state implementation of IDEA
• Helping states implement early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities
• Investigating complaints and conducting compliance reviews
• Working with schools to address issues when rights are not upheld
• Protecting the rights of people with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

What is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973?

“Section 504 is a federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education,” according to the DoE.

What role does the Education Department play in Section 504?

OCR, a division of the department, enforces Section 504 by ensuring that public schools provide a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) to each qualified student with a disability who is in the school district’s jurisdiction, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. “OCR receives complaints from parents, students or advocates, conducts agency initiated compliance reviews, and provides technical assistance to school districts, parents, or advocates,” according to the DoE.

Any student with a 504 Plan is covered by Section 504. If a school district is out of compliance with Section 504 by failing to provide “education in regular classes with supplementary services, and/or special education and related services,” the OCR may initiate administrative proceedings to terminate DoE financial assistance to the school or refer the case to the Department of Justice for judicial proceedings.

How does the DoE financially support students with ADHD?

According to available research, the DoE spends a significant amount on students with ADHD, with estimates ranging from $5.6 billion for younger children to between $9.36 and $19.75 billion for older children and teenagers on educational costs including special education, therapies, and counseling, all related to managing ADHD in the school setting.

How much of any state’s special-education funding comes from the DoE?

Since IDEA was enacted, federal funds have covered approximately 13% of the cost of special-education services. States supplement federal IDEA funding with funding formulas for special education that vary widely from state to state. The remainder of funding comes from state and local tax revenue.

In a study of 5,694 districts in 24 states, serving nearly 3 million students with disabilities, Bellwether found that special education services cost $13,127 per student per year, on average. Funding from the DoE covered $1,578 of that cost, or 12%. The districts received dedicated special-education state revenue totaling $3,388 per pupil, and the remaining $8,161 in funding was generated through taxes.

Will Trump likely be able to shut down the DoE?

By law, the Education Department can be shut down only by an act of Congress. According to Time magazine, “In January, Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, re-introduced a bill that would terminate the Department of Education. The bill has 30 Republican co-sponsors thus far,” but would require 60 votes to pass.

If the Department of Education is shuttered, will my child’s IEP be impacted?

IEPs are protected by law, as spelled out in IDEA. So long as IDEA law remains intact, the rights of students with disabilities to IEPs will remain protected. However, the DoE is the primary watchdog for both IDEA and Section 504, so enforcement of IEP and 504 Plan violations could be impacted. It is also unclear how federal government funding cuts could impact local school districts across the country that rely on DoE funds to “support disabled students, pay special education teachers and therapists, and buy the materials and equipment that students need,” according to The Century Foundation.

If the Department of Education is shuttered, who will enforce IDEA law?

Another federal agency, such as the Department of Justice, would likely take over enforcement of IDEA if the Education Department were abolished. This would include conducting compliance reviews, investigating complaints from parents, and enforcing penalties for schools that fall out of compliance. It is unclear how any change in enforcement may impact parents’ ability to secure special-education resources or pursue complaints against schools for providing inadequate resources under IDEA.

Department of Education & IEP Law: Next Steps

• Submit: Email your questions about IEP law and how DoE changes might impact your child to customerservice@additudemag.com
• Read: 10 Myths About School Laws and Services for Students with ADHD
• Know: Your Child’s Educational Rights

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Advice for Parent-Teacher Collaboration

Up to a third of children with ADHD will experience school avoidance at some point during their academic journey. A student’s school avoidance, also referred to as school refusal, can last weeks or months during an academic year. In severe cases, it can last longer. Follow this advice to facilitate collaboration and get your child back to school.

#1. Request Help Early

Call the school at the first signs of possible school avoidance. Time is of the essence. Research and real-life experiences show that earlier interventions improve outcomes.

Schools have staff dedicated to helping students with mental health challenges, learning disabilities, and family issues. Your goal is to meet with these staff members and discuss where your child is struggling and what’s going on at home. Let them know that you consider this to be serious and that early interventions are extremely important. Work with the school intervention team on strategies to help your child.

#2. Get Educated About School Avoidance

Because school avoidance is misunderstood, your school may not know the best practices and evidence-based strategies for addressing it. As a caregiver, you will need to advocate for your child and educate the school staff. Arrive at school meetings equipped with information and specific requests for help.

[Read: “Help! My Child Won’t Go to School.”]

#3. Know Your Rights

Federal and state laws require public schools to provide a free, appropriate, public education to all students. Your understanding of these laws is important because schools sometimes have difficulty interpreting and applying them to school avoidance.

#4. Establish Accommodations

Most kids who avoid school qualify for a 504 Plan or an Individualized Education Program (IEP), and benefit from accommodations and services that can reintegrate them into school. Some schools will modify workloads, homework, and attendance requirements to help your child return to school.

#5. Develop a Reintegration Plan

Collaborate on a plan to get your child back into the classroom. Your child’s therapist should be communicating with the school about how to best do this.

#6. Know When to Activate Plan B

If you feel the current school environment cannot support your child appropriately or blatantly disregards their needs, seek alternative school options. Your child deserves a caring and supportive school where they feel safe and valued.

[Get This Download: How to Teach Children with ADHD — Classroom Challenges & Solutions]

Avoid These Missteps

Common mistakes parents make while working with their child’s school include:

• Working too long with your intervention team without a defined plan for getting your child back to school
• Not requesting a 504 Plan or IEP in writing. Once you ask for an evaluation for a 504 Plan or IEP in a letter or email (get proof of receipt), the clock starts to ensure that timelines are followed according to the law
• Crafting a 504 Plan or IEP that says nothing about the steps, changes, or strategies to help your child return to school

School Avoidance Interventions: Next Steps

• Read: “Couldn’t I Just Stay Home from School Forever?”
• eBook: How to Teach (and Inspire) Students with ADHD
• Sign Up: ADHD @ School — A Free 10-Part Class for Parents

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An approach called the Life Course Model could significantly improve outcomes by keeping parents informed on the effectiveness of behavioral interventions and by ensuring consistency between home and school strategies.

The model’s primary aim is to foster collaborative family-school partnerships. Through meetings with the child’s academic and/or IEP team, parents can help make decisions regarding the best behavioral interventions to address the child’s needs.

[eBook: The Teacher’s Guide to ADHD and Classroom Behavior]

Daily communication about a student’s progress may also allow the teacher to advise on implementing interventions at home. However, successful student outcomes still rely on professional development and teacher training around ADHD interventions and strategies.

Life Course Model Implementation

These practice guidelines were created to help teachers address disruptive or noncompliant behaviors among students with ADHD by providing supports that build skills for independence and self-regulation. Interventions that reduce symptoms (e.g., medication) and accommodations that don’t necessarily build skills are given lower priority in the treatment plan sequence.

Life Course Model, Part 1: Services and Sequencing

Life Course Model, Part 2: Principles for Service Delivery

Behavioral Interventions for ADHD: Next Steps

• Free Download: Classroom Accommodations for Children with ADHD
• Sign Up: Free ADHD Teacher Training Program!
• Read: Could a Behavior Intervention Plan Help Your Student with ADHD? 

Marsha Ariol, M.S., is a third-year doctoral student in the school psychology program at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

George J. DuPaul, Ph.D., is a professor of school psychology and associate dean for research in the College of Education at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

SUPPORT ADDITUDE
Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

Sources

¹ Hustus, C.L., Evans, S.W., Owens, J.S., Benson, K., Hetrick, A., Kipperman, K., & DuPaul, G.J. (2020). An Evaluation of 504 and Individualized Educational Programs for High School Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. School Psychology Review,49, 333-345.doi: 10.1080/2372966X.2020.1777830

² DuPaul, G.J., Chronis-Tuscano, A., Danielson, M.L., & Visser, S.N. (2019). Predictors of Receipt of School Services in a National Sample of Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Attention Disorders, 23, 1303-1319.doi: 10.1177/1087054718816169

Alongside other ADHD advocates, I’ve been working for more than a decade to create systemic change in the way we educate students with ADHD. I will share exciting opportunities for civic actions you can take to encourage local and state legislators to implement these special ed reforms. As Margaret Mead famously said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Teacher Training Transforms the Classroom

I have conducted hundreds of ADHD-specific teacher trainings across diverse school districts nationwide that vary in size, economic status, and geography. They all share a common asset: teachers eager for additional knowledge, tools, and resources to enhance their students’ success. They aspire to spend less time dealing with challenging behaviors and more time addressing the needs of all their students. That’s where I come in. Within 12 hours, my training can transform how teachers perceive, interact with, and support students with ADHD, building their competence and confidence in the classroom.

Last summer, Lisa Reynolds, a parent in Kansas, asked if I would speak with one of her local legislators about creating a bill that would improve the way students with ADHD are taught. Reynolds pleaded for change after years of failed attempts to help her son receive appropriate education and support.

“If he required too many redirections, teachers recommended removing him from class and transferring him to the in-school suspension room for independent work,” Reynolds said of her son, who has ADHD. “These kids get labeled as lazy or bad. They don’t understand why school is so hard and why they are being punished.”

[Get This Download: An Educator’s Guide to Classroom Challenges & Solutions]

With Reynolds’s help, I drafted Kansas House Bill 2480, requiring each school district in the state to hire an ADHD specialist to train and support teachers. I then gathered stellar experts from across disciplines with the knowledge, experience, and research to support this effort. Not surprisingly, I found that many professionals share my determination to change the current educational methodology.

Bright Students, Poor Outcomes

George J. DuPaul, Ph.D., professor of school psychology and associate dean for research at Lehigh University College of Education, is one of many experts and clinicians prepared to testify on behalf of this ADHD legislation. He says that youth with ADHD face significant academic and mental health challenges in elementary and secondary schools. Typically, he says, they complete less assigned work, receive below-average grades, perform poorly on exams, and are more likely than their peers to drop out of school.

Many students with ADHD are of average or above-average intelligence. Yet they are at greater risk of underemployment, incarceration, and even suicide.

Every day, well-meaning teachers unintentionally create hardship, frustration, and worse by expecting students with ADHD to behave and perform according to neurotypical standards. Very bright students with ADHD may have slower processing speed (which creates overwhelm and disengagement), weaker working memory (they struggle to retain what is presented without visual or other supports), and other challenges that arise from underdeveloped executive function and emotional regulation skills.

[Click to Download: 10 Teaching Strategies that Help Students with ADHD]

Many educators have backgrounds in special education but no expertise in ADHD. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves due to overwhelming challenges and limited resources and support. We cannot ask more of teachers. But we can provide the training and resources they need to support their neurodivergent students.

Seeking Action Across America

While HR Bill 2480 is still working its way through the Kansas legislature, we are determined to proceed on a broader scale and create a national dialogue about supporting students and families impacted by ADHD. We hope that lawmakers will be inclined to consider legislation once they see similar bills successfully passed.

Virginia is a good example. Academic outcomes for Virginia students with learning differences have been inexcusably poor in recent years. These students scored lower on Standards of Learning assessments, on average, than their neurotypical peers. Worse, they were 52 percent more likely to drop out of high school.

After a scathing report on the state’s failure to comply with basic federal special education program requirements, and an ongoing probe by the U.S. Department of Education, lawmakers passed a bill that aims to dramatically change the way educators are trained to identify and support students with learning differences and disabilities.

The bill was signed into law and became effective July 1, 2024. However, it could take until the 2025-26 school year for some, if not all, of the widespread changes to be implemented, says Virginia Delegate Carrie Coyner, who co-sponsored the bipartisan bill with Delegate Barbara Favola.

The new law requires every teacher and administrator statewide to receive professional development by regional coaches and experts in special education. The state will also fund regional parent resource centers to help caregivers advocate for students with diagnosed or suspected learning differences.

Coyner says she spent one year interviewing and surveying educators and special education systems across the country to learn about best practices. She studied lawsuits filed by parents against school districts in Virginia involving claims of inadequate education supports for their students, and she worked with the University of Virginia law school on public policy measures to address current challenges.

We need states across America to prioritize the importance of adequate training for teachers and recognize that it can change the lives of future generations of students. Employing an on-site ADHD specialist can provide education, re-teaching, and effective problem-solving, enabling these students to become assets to the entire school population.

Your Call-To-Action Guide

It is up to us to create a groundswell of support by approaching school boards, and local and national legislators, to push for change. Experiences from local parents and professionals will have the most impact regionally; however, their shared information and approach can apply to all states.

• Ask your local school board how teachers are being taught to support students with ADHD. How current is the training, how recently has it been provided, and how many staff members have received the most recent training?
• Use the template below to approach your local school board, state senator, and state representative, as well as your U.S. senators and congressional representatives, to advocate for legislation at both the local and national levels.

How to Approach Your Representatives

• Start by writing a letter or an email addressed to each of your school board members and state senators and representatives. Each state has an education committee in the state House and the state Senate. Search for “Education Committee in Congress” and “Senate Education Committee” in your state for the names of committee members.
• Include an overview of the problem, a fact sheet to support your views, and information about how all students would benefit from your proposed changes.

Then ask your representatives to do the following:

• Enact legislation requiring all educators to undergo training on the impact of ADHD on the brain, and its implications for teaching, classroom design, and support. [See Proposed Teacher Training Solutions to get more specifics.]
• Equip every educator with a fundamental understanding of the social and emotional impact of ADHD and executive function challenges on learning, motivation, and behavior.
• Encourage universities to incorporate a curriculum on ADHD for general education teachers.

Your Fact Sheet

Help legislators understand the prevalence and consequences of ADHD with these facts:

• The American Psychiatric Association recognizes ADHD as a prevalent mental disorder in children.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that roughly 10 percent of school-age children have ADHD, though some reports skew higher. This means that virtually every classroom has at least one student with ADHD.
• ADHD is a chronic and sometimes debilitating disorder. It is known to impact the academic achievements and daily functioning of students.
• People diagnosed with ADHD have an elevated risk for school failure, drug and alcohol abuse, accidental injuries, premature death, and suicide.
• ADHD is not specifically identified in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Instead, it falls under the “other health impairment” category in IEPs. This distinction might contribute to differences in training compared to training about autism, which affects one-quarter as many school-age children.

Proposed Teacher Training Solutions

Tell your legislators that employing a school district-wide ADHD specialist is the most cost-effective and impactful way to support teachers and students. The ADHD specialist may be an educator or administrator who is already on staff, regardless of discipline. They can:

• Train current and incoming staff to manage the social and emotional impact of ADHD by introducing effective teaching methods. Many simple adjustments in teaching style and classroom environment can significantly improve the learning experience for all students.
• Reduce the time teachers spend managing ADHD students who fall off task, or those with challenging behaviors, by offering guidance and sharing best practices and evidence-based teaching strategies to address situations in the classroom.
• Support parents by explaining how ADHD affects learning, motivation, and behavior. This knowledge will empower parents to become more collaborative and effective partners with teachers.

Over time, these investments in teacher training will lead to a stable and experienced education workforce, while reducing teacher stress, burnout, turnover, and associated costs.

These steps will also improve students’ retention, mental health, underemployment, and rates of incarceration and self-harm.

Effective ADHD specialist training should include:

• A comprehensive, research-based description of the social and emotional impact of ADHD and executive function development on learning, motivation, behavior, and the family system.
• Strategies to address executive function skill development in task initiation, organization, time management, self-advocacy, emotional regulation, and attention regulation. Executive function deficits are addressed by helping each student develop internal and external strategies and skills.
• A program to address challenging behaviors with a strengths-based, collaborative problem-solving approach designed to improve conflict resolution, productivity, and motivation.

Teacher Training for ADHD: Next Steps

• Read: “We Are Behind the Times” Only 4 in 10 Educators Receive ADHD Training
• Sign-up: Free ADHD Training for Educators
• Download: What Every Teacher Should Know About ADHD – A Poster for School
• Read: Everything You Never Knew About Learning Disabilities
• Read: Inadequate Teacher Training Stifles Students with ADHD

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– How to improve executive function by developing “domino” habits
– How to foster a positive learning environment that leans more heavily on praise
– How to design a neurodivergent-friendly classroom
– How to model good planning and prioritizing skills for your child
– How to capture wandering attention without embarrassing students with ADHD
– How to use a daily report card system effectively
– How to manage multiple students’ accommodations efficiently
– How to spot and avoid burnout in twice-exceptional students who are gifted and have ADHD
– How to reduce screen-time battles and use music to spark focus

Get all of these resources and more in this concise, practical, 12-page guide to building stronger executive functions in children with ADHD.

Print it, share it, use it, and start off the new school year smart!

NOTE: This resource is for personal use only.

Q: How can I, as a teacher, more effectively and efficiently implement many Individualized Education Program (IEP) and 504 Plan accommodations for multiple students with learning differences in one classroom?

Many students with learning differences benefit from classroom accommodations, but managing them all can challenge any educator. This is especially true today, as the number of students requesting accommodations has increased dramatically. In fact, it’s one of the top reasons cited by educators for burnout.

If I teach 100 students, about 30 will have an IEP or 504 Plan, with two to three accommodations for each student. Teachers are tasked with figuring out how to implement and track these, while also covering all the course content, engaging young minds, and maintaining rigor. It’s a lot to manage.

To tackle multiple accommodations at once, take the time to carefully organize your online classroom portal. By uploading your notes in advance, for example, you can knock off several accommodations, such as “provide notes to students” and “offer different instructional strategies.”

[Read: 27 Classroom Accommodations That Target Common ADHD Challenges]

Along those lines, set clear due dates in advance for students who are given extra time to complete assignments. Doing so offers a clear structure, which is comforting and motivating for students; for teachers, it streamlines an otherwise unwieldy process.

Q: I see my students with ADHD struggling to focus. How can I help them pay attention without embarrassing them in class?

When teachers tell students with ADHD to pay attention,” most of the kids don’t know what that looks like. This is where we can turn to the SLANT model, developed by Doug Lemov, author of The Coach’s Guidee to Teaching.

[Free Poster: What Every Teacher Should Know About ADHD]

The SLANT strategy details the behaviors necessary for students to pay attention:

• Sit up
• Listen or lean forward
• Ask or answer questions
• Nod your head
• Track the speaker with your eyes

The benefits of this approach are twofold. First, these behaviors enhance the ability of the student to really engage. Second, the student who adopts them looks respectful, which sets a positive tone in the classroom.

Accommodations for ADHD: Next Steps

• Read: The Educator’s Guide to Executive Functions
• Read: Positive Teaching Strategies to Uplift Students with ADHD
• Free Download: Easy Accommodations for Kids with ADHD

Brandon Slade is the founder and CEO of Untapped Learning, an executive function coaching organization. He is a former special education teacher.

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These strategies will help your teen tap into their “grit.”

Teachers and parents can take advantage of these strategies for training focus, combatting procrastination, and prioritizing effectively to achieve the success that drives future motivation.

When we create learning environments and activities that help students feel safe and confident, we reduce their chances of experiencing failure and increase their chance at success.

Does delayed executive function maturity make it hard for your child to achieve his goals? Here, tips for practice, patience, and perseverance for children and teenagers with ADHD.

Traditional carrots and sticks don’t motivate students with ADHD – that much is clear. But these strategies do.

Why do adults and children with ADHD or ADD have strong motivation and executive function for some tasks and never find the cognitive spark to do others? Learn more.

Learn about seven important executive function skills, their relationship to motivation, and how to improve each skill. Learn more.

Foster Friendships & Regulate Emotions

Required reading for any parent whose child has felt excluded — or whose child has excluded others.

Students with ADHD thrive in a positive classroom environment, and peer interactions and relationships play a big role in shaping that learning experience.

While your child has strengths, it is the weak executive functions — the management system of the brain — that affect their social skills.

ADHD can cause specific immature behaviors, causing kids to be an outcast amongst peers. Learn how praise and getting involved in activities can help.

How to help your child make friends (and keep them) this year. Learn more.

Teach your child how to deal with a bully and become an upstander for other neurodivergent kids with these strategies.

Children and teens with ADHD may lose friends because of deficits in social executive function skills – the underlying processes that are involved in social skills ranging from perspective-taking to reciprocity and cognitive flexibility. Learn how to help them.

Initiate & Complete Homework

Research suggests that the soundtrack to your child’s homework should comprise these 21 songs, proven to change the electromagnetic frequency of brain waves for optimal focus.

Learn ways to treat dysgraphia – a disability that impacts writing abilities – and to improve handwriting for a lifetime.

With these homework routines, teachers and parents can replace after-school tantrums with higher grades..

Hurdles with writing trace back to executive functioning — our brains’ ability to absorb, organize, and act on information. Learn more.

12 ADHD-friendly strategies for creating calm, avoiding burnout, and staying organized during homework time.

Spare your family drama and fights by following this homework system designed for children with ADHD and learning disabilities.

Kids with ADHD often struggle with homework, but each one struggles in a unique way. Here are specific solutions that really work for kids with ADHD.

Secure Accommodations & Self-Advocate

These academic and organizational tips are designed to help high school students with ADHD finish homework, execute long-term projects, manage their time, earn high grades, and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

“Daily report cards are among the most powerful evidence-based tools that educators have to encourage better behavior in students. A strong report card system has a few key elements that make or break its effectiveness.”

Know your rights if the school refuses to evaluate your student for learning differences.

8 straightforward steps — from requesting a school evaluation to monitoring accommodations — to help parents develop the best IEP or 504 Plan possible for kids with ADHD.

Learn how to help a student with ADHD understand and communicate their learning needs to teachers and parents.

Here are some of our favorite solutions for addressing common ADHD challenges at school.

Here are some of our favorite solutions for addressing common ADHD challenges at school.

Remember Not to Forget

A working memory deficit could explain his difficulty working out math problems in his head or with reading retention. Take this self-test.

Improve working memory in children with ADHD by using these 10 exercises that lighten the mental load by externalizing reminders.

Learn faster. Retain more. Perform better on tests. Yes, really. With these research-based techniques for studying with ADHD .

Educators must do more to support students with learning differences for whom working memory is an area of need. The following are a few strategies and pointers for educators.

Research shows that students with ADHD don’t need to study harder or longer to conquer exams — they just need to study differently. Here’s how.

Weak working memory impairs a child’s ability to follow multi-step directions, tap into old information, or quickly recall lessons. These 15 exercises and strategies can help.

Verbal and non-verbal working memory are two essential batteries powering what Dr. Russell Barkley calls your brain’s GPS system — the one that keeps you on track, on time, and in control. Learn how to keep them charged.

Build Self-Confidence at School

Responding to bad behavior with neurotypical parenting techniques is counterproductive because it ignores the root problem. Here is a better way.

When teens with ADHD feel less than adequate, parents should use these strategies to help them bolster their self confidence, make healthy choices, and develop a positive perspective on the future. Here’s how.

Daily challenges and corrections at school can demoralize a child and trample her confidence. How to end the cycle.

These ADHD teaching strategies will help all students — but especially those with ADD — learn to the best of their ability in any classroom. Get started.

No child with ADHD can succeed at school if he believes he is less smart or less capable than his peers. Here is a better way.

Many children with ADHD, battered by daily criticisms and admonitions, have low self-esteem as early as second grade. Make a powerful difference with these reframing strategies.

Chronic stress at school can make kids (particularly those with ADHD or LD) dread going — and change their brains for the worse. Learn more.

Organize & Manage Time

The most critical tool for building these executive functions? The right planner. Here it is.

Want to make sure that your child gets his homework done every night — and learns about planning and how to prioritize? Teach them to use a homework planner.

11 tips for cementing your family’s routine.

Here, learn how to use calendars and clocks to teach your child the value of strong priorities and to help him be on time more often.

Paper planners outperform digital ones for ADHD brains. Here is what makes a great planner.

Chaotic desk? Forgotten homework? Missed deadlines? Your child needs these ADHD organizing tips.

Reliable schedules for mornings, after school, and bedtime make a tremendous difference in setting expectations, building good habits, and improving ADD-related behavior. Learn more.

Resist Distractions and Focus

dopamine menu lists an assortment of pleasurable, healthy activities — from appetizers like yoga poses to main courses like a HIIT class to sides like white noise — from which ADHD brains can choose when they need stimulation. Learn more.

Research shows that physical activity — even a little foot-tapping or gum chewing — increases levels of the neurotransmitters in the brain that control focus and attention. Learn more.

“Procrastivity” is a self-defeating ADHD time-management habit can be helped by cognitive behavioral therapy approaches that teach patients how to prioritize tasks. Learn more here.

You can’t train away executive dysfunction. But you can more consistently get things done by creating systems in your life that support these brain processes. Get started here.

Soothing, effective fidgets for students with ADHD who focus best when they are chewing, squeezing, picking, or — yes — spinning. See our picks here.

Children with ADHD experience a lower level of brain arousal, which means they are easily distracted by internal and external stimuli. Use these school and home strategies to improve focus and comprehension.

For inconsistent focus, use these teacher-approved accommodations to put some real muscle behind his 504 Plan and put the attention back on learning. Get started.

Control Impulses and Behavior

Back-to-school supplies for students with ADHD — from erasable pens and highlighter tape to wiggle seat cushions, and more — that improve focus, organization, and classroom engagement. See the list.

Educators share their top tips for developing stronger executive function skills and independence in students with ADHD and learning differences here.

The Good Behavior Game is one of many classroom behavior interventions — backed by research — that inspires better behavior from students with and without ADHD. Here is how to play.

Is your child experiencing behavior problems at school? Use this step-by-step guide.

Time-outs and lectures won’t magically cure the impulsive tendencies of kids with ADHD. But these real-world tips for teachers and parents just might.

Lack of impulse control may be the most difficult ADHD symptom to change. Medication can help, but kids also need effective behavior management strategies in place — clear expectations, positive incentives, and predictable consequences — if they are to learn to regulate their behavior. Get started here.

Teach students to regulate their emotions with these ADHD strategies.

Forge Stronger Executive Functions

Executive function deficits may look like absentmindedness or forgetfulness. Learn more.

Learn about your child’s seven executive functions — and how to boost them.

“Executive dysfunction is ubiquitous in children with ADHD, which helps to explain why so many students with attention deficit are reprimanded for forgotten homework, disorganized projects, running out of time on tests, and more.” Learn more.

Martial arts help build self-control, discipline, and persistence. Learn how.

Symptoms of inattentive ADHD are often mistaken for apathy or laziness. Learn the truth.

ADHD intentions don’t always translate into action. Learn how to align them here.

90% of kids with ADHD have an executive function deficit. Learn how to strengthen executive functions here.

It turns out I was not alone. As a mental health educator and psychoeducator today, I often hear from parents and families about the distress they feel ahead of meeting with their child’s educational support team.

School meetings are critical because they allow us families to gather needed information and promote beneficial changes to a child’s education. Yet, we can feel powerless at times. We may also vicariously experience the trauma and shame associated with disability during these meetings.

So, how can we best support ourselves during an IEP/504 meeting (or any advocacy meeting) so we can fully support our kids? Here are some tips I’ve gathered from families, professionals, and my own parenting experiences over the years:

1. You don’t have to do it alone. IEP and 504 meetings can feel even more daunting if you feel isolated. Remember that you can bring a trusted family member or healthcare advocate with you. Beyond being a calming presence, a relative or trusted friend can help by making sure that you express your key points, stay on track, and ask pointed questions. Your support person can also help you debrief after the meeting.

[Get This Free Download: How to Make School Meetings Count]

2. Write out your questions and concerns ahead of time. Whether you use a phone, laptop, notepad, or an old-school clipboard, jot down any questions that come to mind well before your meeting. Chances are that you have many concerns. Writing down your thoughts will help you to keep organized and to fit your important concerns into the limited time allotted. Also, take notes during the meeting if you want to remember details and worry that you won’t!

3. Go ahead and ask your questions. Just like you might have heard from your favorite teacher growing up: No question is a stupid question. Ask questions, seek clarification, and gather information without worrying about feeling self-conscious. It’s your right.

4. Remember that everyone on the IEP team is trying their best. Most educational professionals are spread thin, overworked, underpaid, and burnt out. Keeping this in mind should help you to communicate with kindness and compassion. If you’re concerned about nervousness giving your speech an unintended edge or otherwise hindering effective communication, try roleplaying with a supportive friend who will give you honest feedback.

5. Commit to following up. You can request a review of your child’s plan at any time. Make sure you collect the contact info of all those in attendance at the meeting so that you can reach out if a new issue arises. Don’t be afraid to express that the plan isn’t working and needs revamping if need be.

[Read: 9 Ways IEPs Fall Apart]

6. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Be a fierce advocate for your child, but also keep in mind that educational advocacy is a process that takes trial, error, and refinement over time.

Parenting a child with an atypical neurotype isn’t always easy. Advocacy isn’t, either. The silver lining? We grow through meeting challenges. We become stronger and develop more confidence as we become used to the role of advocate. In fighting for your child’s needs, you may find a voice you didn’t know you had.

IEP Meeting Anxiety: Next Steps

• Free Download: Mid-Year Checkup Guide for Students with ADHD
• Read: How Should I Prepare for an IEP Meeting?
• Read: How to Get the ADHD Accommodations Your Child Needs

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Q: “Recently, my son, who is twice exceptional (2e), experienced major burnout from the demands of his advanced placement classes. The school’s solution for this was a two-day extension on his assignments, which did not help at all. He has an IEP — how can we incorporate burnout accommodations into it to prevent this from happening again?”

First of all, I’m very sorry that this happened to your son. I remember going to an IEP meeting for one of my twice-exceptional students, a brilliant young man who had tremendous difficulty with written assignments. A lack of appropriate accommodations caused him to burn out, so we called a meeting. I remember saying to the team of teachers sitting around, “Are you literally trying to make sure this child cannot be successful in your classroom? Because that’s what it feels like to me.”

In your child’s case, an effective way to incorporate burnout prevention in his IEP is by ensuring that task analysis be done on all assignments. Task analysis — or breaking down a task into smaller, more manageable steps — is crucial for managing overwhelm.

[Read: “Are Your High-Achieving Students Burning Out? Why It’s Critical to Know.”]

With this type of accommodation, your child’s teachers can break down a big research project, for example, into smaller, concrete tasks that keep your child motivated. Step One can be identifying the research topic. Step Two can be submitting a list of resources and websites your child will consult for the research project. Step Three can be preparing an outline, then a draft followed by feedback and another draft, and so on until the project is successfully completed. Each step and corresponding deadline must be identified and laid out in your child’s calendar well before the project even begins. Checkpoints should also be worked in; these help to raise flags to teachers if your child goes off track and needs additional support.

How far apart to space these tasks will depend on their nature and how they relate to your child’s strengths and areas of need. Even then, extended time on a task — beyond a two-day extension — might be necessary for your child.

Especially in advanced classes, it’s often difficult for teachers to understand that the timelines they propose for accomplishing various tasks are not reasonable for every student. I’ve had teachers say, “If I give one student extra time, I’m going to have to give the whole class extra time.” My response, which I suggest you use: “What do you want? Do you want excellent, or do you want fast?”

Academic Burnout Prevention: Next Steps

• Read: When Gifted Kids Burn Out — How to Support Twice-Exceptional Students
• Read: Unlocking the Potential of Gifted Kids with ADHD
• Read: “I Grew Up Gifted and Autistic — and Suffered the Burnout of Twice Exceptionality”

The content for this article was derived from the ADDitude webinar titled, “Avoiding & Recovering from 2e Burnout: Support for Gifted Students” [Video Replay & Podcast #467] with Mary Ruth Coleman, Ph.D., which was broadcast on August 17, 2023.

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This is the plight of many immigrant families in today’s U.S. school system. Because of language barriers, many caregivers fail to connect with educators and often keep quiet at their child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, when input about supports and services is so important. Add to the mix cultural differences and the situation gets worse. In many Latin American countries, a child’s challenges are not attributed to ADHD — the diagnosis isn’t generally accepted — but rather to a lack of clear rules or an absence of punishment. Medication is only used only as a last resort.

Given these challenges, we’ve created a checklist to help educators lead a successful IEP meeting with immigrant Latinx caregivers of students with learning differences. Something to keep in mind: Stigma is pervasive in Spanish-speaking countries. When caregivers express resistance, it is often due to a lack of information or because they feel shame or guilt.

[Sign Up: The ADHD Learning Series for Educators]

Before the IEP Meeting

• Hold an initial, brief parent-teacher conference to prepare the groundwork for the IEP meeting.
• Emphasize to the caregivers that you want to work as a team to help their child succeed, and that you value their input.
• Explain the purpose of an IEP, how the meeting will be structured, and who will participate.
• Inform caregivers of their rights (i.e., a translator, support person) and make sure to allow extra time for interpretation when scheduling the IEP meeting.
• Provide a draft of the IEP in Spanish.

During the IEP Meeting

• Invite parents to share information about their child and the strategies that have worked for them.
• Discuss ways in which the family can help from home, considering their routines, time limitations, and language barriers between generations.
• Explain test results and next steps.
• Provide the contact information of a person that they can call or email with questions.

After the IEP Meeting

Now that you’ve spent time with the family, follow up to keep the connection going and the family engaged. When caregivers and teachers work together, students feel understood, supported, and empowered.

IEP Meetings: Next Steps

• Download: 30 Straightforward Accommodations for Children with ADHD
• Read: How to Better Communicate with Students and Families of Color
• Read: Get Specific and Set Goals: Writing IEPs That Work
• Read: “Can We Request Another IEP Meeting?”

David Lucas “Luke” Smith, M.D., is the executive director and medical director at El Futuro, a nonprofit outpatient mental health clinic in North Carolina. He is board-certified in adult, child, and adolescent psychiatry.  

Tamara Schlez is an ADHD coach and engagement specialist at El Futuro.  

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Schools often suspend students who have ADHD for classroom “disruptions” stemming from behavior they cannot control. Educators and administrators regularly resort to disciplinary practices that ignore the rights of students with disabilities and their families. In fact, the idea that consequences are the only path to elicit a change in behavior is pervasive among general education teachers — and wrong. It doesn’t have to be this way. These punitive consequences deny students with ADHD access to an appropriate education.

Bridging Neuroscience Research and Practice

Applied educational neuroscience, one of the fastest growing areas of research and practice, is a framework through which students and adults (educators, counselors, and parents) learn how to manage and regulate emotions to move toward positive goals. This process also involves teaching students about their own brain function so they can better understand and modify their behavior. Instead of focusing on consequences as a path to correcting undesired behaviors, applied educational neuroscience asks how brains are functioning at any given moment, and provides educators with useful methods of responding, including checking in with their own emotional state.

[Sign Up: The ADHD Learning Series for Educators]

Many school districts have implemented the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and Multi-Tiered System of Supports frameworks to address classroom behavior, but these often become lists to be checked off rather than embedded into the school culture.

Accountability and Compliance

The responsibility of holding schools accountable for following Individualized Education Programs and 504 Plans, and state laws governing the rights of students with disabilities and their families, often falls to the parents of the student involved. This process can be confusing and arduous. While districts are required to inform parents of their rights and assist them with asserting these rights, school administrators who already exhibit difficulty with issues of compliance are not likely to hold up their end of the deal. There should be more oversight, without expecting parents to function as watchdogs over their children’s education. Existing mechanisms of accountability need to change.

We need to teach educators about brain function and the behaviors that stem from ADHD and other diagnoses, and then hold educators and schools accountable when they dole out suspensions instead of teaching executive function skills that boost a student’s chances for success.

Inclusive Education: Next Steps

• Download: What Learning Disabilities Look Like In the Classroom
• Read: Inadequate Teacher Training Stifles Students with ADHD
• Learn: The Educator’s Guide to Executive Functions

Anna Weber, M.Ed., is a special education professional in southwest Michigan and board certified as an advocate in special education. Her son has ADHD.

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