On-Demand Parenting Webinars

“Are My Student’s ADHD Accommodations in Danger? Fallout from the Department of Education Changes” [Video Replay & Podcast #554]

Access the video replay, listen to the podcast episode (#554), download the slide presentation, and learn how to get a certificate of attendance for this ADHD Experts webinar originally broadcast on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

ADHD Expert: Mary J. Goodwin-Oquendo, Esq. Updated on June 5, 2025
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Episode Description

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.

Note: The designation “ADHD Expert” is a standard title used across ADDitude webinar pages for informational purposes and does not imply specific medical qualifications or certifications of the presenter. Mary J. Goodwin-Oquendo, Esq., adheres to professional standards which prohibit the use of the term “expert” in describing their qualifications. For details on the presenter’s qualifications and areas of expertise, please refer to the “Meet the Speaker” section below.

ADHD Accommodations and Educational Rights: Resources

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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