School and AD/HD: Kindergarten through 12th Grade
If your child is having trouble in school, where do you start?
Students diagnosed with AD/HD may be entitled to classroom
accommodations or services if the disorder has a
negative impact on academic, social, or behavioral performance at
school. A diagnosis does not automatically entitle a
student to services or accommodations, however. The resources
listed below will provide you with a good background in the
services and/or accommodations that may be available to your
child. Every public school should also provide parents with
information about local procedures and policies governing AD/HD
and support available through the school.
If you have placed your child in a private
school, or if your child's school receives no federal funding, you
may not have access to many of the services and accommodations offered
in public school. But you can still use many of the suggestions in
the resources below to develop a plan with your child's teacher and
school to provide a more supportive education
environment.
 CHADD has a wealth of information to help you through the
process. Just browse and click on the resources relevant to
you. If there is a key next to a resource, then access is limited
to CHADD members. If you are already a CHADD member, be sure to log
in first. If you are not a member, click here to join today. (Once you have joined,
close your internet browser. Then reopen and return to chadd.org. Log in as a member and
you will be able to access every resource.)
Educational Services in Public
Schools
Educational Rights for Children with AD/HD in Public
Schools: What We Know #4 - This is a great
introduction to the differences between special education services
(IDEA) and accommodations in the classroom (Section 504).
 Educational Rights for Children with
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Primer for Parents
- This is a bilingual publication (English and Spanish) from the
National Resource Center on AD/HD (NRC) at CHADD, produced in
collaboration with the National Alliance for Hispanic
Health. A hardcopy is available free of charge
by requesting it online or by contacting the NRC at
800-233-4050. CHADD members may access the PDF
version online. The guide includes a helpful, step-by-step guide to the
special education process.
 The special education process: A step-by-step
diagram
El proceso de educación especial: Un diagrama paso
a paso
Comparison of IDEA and Section 504 - This table
gives you a step by step comparison of the difference in special
education (IDEA) and accommodations in the classroom (Section
504).
Parent to Parent Training - For an in-depth training
experience on all aspects of AD/HD, including understanding the
educational system and working effectively with your school, sign up for
a Parent to Parent class in your local community or
online.
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Requesting an Evaluation in Public
Schools
Should You Tell the School About Your Child's AD/HD
? - The decision to disclose your child's
AD/HD can be difficult. Here is what the experts
suggest.
Letter to Your Principal Requesting an
Evaluation - The first step is to request an evaluation of your
child in writing. This example will help you craft your
letter.
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Special Education Services
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
- IDEA is the law that authorizes special education services for
childen with disabilities. Find out if your child might qualify for
special education services.
Understanding the Legal Rights of People with AD/HD
under Current Special Education Law - Special education
attorney Matt Cohen answers questions from parents in this Ask
the Expert chat.
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Section 504 in Public Schools
Section 504 - A great place to begin,
this page will help you understand what Section 504 is and how it
may help your child.
A 504 Primer - This overview will
educate you about Section 504 accommodations.
A Parent's Guide to Section 504 - Mary Durheim
answers frequently asked questions about Section 504.
Examples of Accommodations or Interventions for a
Section 504 Plan - Not sure what accommodations your child
needs? Here is a list of the common accommodations for students
with AD/HD.
Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of
2008 - Understand how changes in the ADA can help your child
receive accommodations in the classroom through an Ask the
Expert chat with special education lawyer Matt Cohen. Log in
to "Ready Talk" to hear this 75-minute audiotape.
Taking College Entrance Exams? -
Asking for extra time when talking college entrance exams can be a
challenge.
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Preparing for an Individualized Education
Plan (IEP) or Section 504 Meeting
Sample Worksheet for Parents to Take to an IEP or 504
Planning Meeting - Take the time to prepare for your meeting by
filling out this sample worksheet.
Before the IEP Meeting: A Parent Checklist -
Have you put together everything you need? This checklist will help
you to be ready for this important meeting.
At the IEP Meeting: A Parent Checklist - It's
easy to be overwhelmed during a meeting with a table full of school
staff members talking about your child. This checklist will help you be
sure that you have accomplished all you
intended.
After the IEP Meeting: A Parent
Checklist - Once a plan is in place, don't assume all will
be well. You will need to set up procedures to monitor the
implementation and effectiveness of the plan for your child.
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Working with Your Child's Teacher and the
School
Connect with Local Parents - Want to find
out about the experiences of other parents with your local
school? Plan to attend a local CHADD meeting and ask others about
their school experience.
CHADD Educator's Manual on AD/HD - Is your
child's teacher struggling with AD/HD-related behaviors? Consider
giving the teacher a copy of CHADD's Educator Manual, which
provides teachers with a wealth of classroom strategies to effectively
manage AD/HD behavior.
Teacher to Teacher - Training in classroom
management and educational interventions for students with AD/HD is
provided in this one-day program. The training is for
classroom teachers, educators, and interested parents.
Advocating for Your Student - How to
evaluate, educate, communicate, and advocate for your child within the
school system.
Why Teachers Resist: Understanding Teacher
Attitudes About AD/HD - Sometimes a teacher is resistant to
addressing problems related to AD/HD with a student. This
article will help you understand why and how to work effectively with
the teacher.
AD/HD, School and Executive Functioning - If
your child has deficits in executive functioning as part of AD/HD, it
has a major impact on academics and school.
Helping Children with Executive Functioning
- With appropriate short- and long-term strategies and interventions,
parents and teachers can improve the chances of success for children and
adolescents with executive function impairments.
Classroom Interventions for AD/HD - Classroom
interventions, with the support of teachers and parents, can result in
substantial improvement in your child's academic performance and
behavior at school.
Improving Schoolwide Behavior - Creating a
positive school environment with clear expectations for behavior can
make a big difference for all students, especially those who
experience difficulty in controlling impulsiveness.
Positive Behavior Supports - Learn how the
entire school can provide a safe, structured environment
that supports all of our children.
Strength-Based Approach for Schools - Too
often we see the negative behavior of our children, and so do their
teachers. A strengths-based approach will help to increase the
positive behavior of your student.
Behavior and School - Parents pose
questions to expert George DuPaul about children's behavior in
school in this helpful Ask the Expert chat.
Suspensions and Expulsions of Students with
AD/HD - If your child is disciplined at school because of
behavior related to his or her AD/HD, then this is a resource you
want to read.
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Starting the School Year Right
Start the School Year Right: How to Write a Letter
to the Teacher - Help your child's teacher know how to be
helpful to your child and what to expect by beginning the school year
with a letter. Here's how.
Starting the School Year Right - Your
preparation for the school year can make a big difference for your
child.
Helping Your Teen Start the School Year - High
school presents a new set of challenges. You can help smooth the
way.
Back to School Issues - Sandra Rief answers
typical parent questions on starting the school year in a
CHADD Ask the Expert Chat.
The Transition to Middle School - The change
from elementary school to middle school is a huge transition for all
children, especially students with AD/HD. Here is some guidance to
make the change easier for your student.
Strategies for a Successful Elementary School
Year - Build a partnership with your child's teacher from
the beginning of the school year.
Strategies for a Successful High School
Year - Spring is the time to begin planning for the next
year of high school.
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Homework
Meeting the Homework Challenge - Do you have
homework wars in your home? Find out how to bring order and calm
back to the process, and help your child learn the skills to master the
homework challenge.
12 Steps to Homework Completion - Homework is
an incredibly complex task and these 12 steps will help you identify
where the problems occur.
A Parent's Role in Homework - Has your child
become too dependent on you to help with homework and school
assignments?
Lying about Schoolwork - When children with
AD/HD fall into a pattern of avoiding schoolwork and not being truthful
about it, what's a parent to do?
Elementary Tracker - A worksheet to help
you and the teacher track your child's behavior and homework each
day.
Homework Plan Contract - Set up a system to
positively reinforce good homework behaviors.
Too Much Homework? - This simple list will
help you evaluate the impact of homework on your child and
family. Then work with the school to implement a more reasonable
homework plan.
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Educational and Other Consultants
What Can an Educational Therapist Do for Your
Child? - Does your child need some extra
assistance outside of school? Find out what an educational
therapist can do to help.
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Records and Paperwork
The Importance of Keeping Records - Start
keeping an organized copy of all your child's school records and it will
make your work with the school system much easier. Here is a guide
to what you need.
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The Twice Exceptional Student
Twice Exceptional Students - If your child
is gifted and also has AD/HD, that combination can present both
challenges and opportunities.
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Appeals
Due Process and Appeals - What if you cannot
reach agreement with the public school district?
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School Wide Programs
Positive Behavioral Supports - A number of schools across the
country
Bullying Prevention -
Transition to Higher Education
Postsecondary Program Considerations for Young Adults with AD/HD and
Related Conditions
Need More?
The National Resource Center on AD/HD has a searchable library as well as highly
trained AD/HD specialists who can help.
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