ADHD and New Federal Guidelines

The primary mission of public school districts in America is to ensure that all students have access to a comprehensive, equitable, and inclusive educational experience.  However, many schools and districts are challenged when it comes to students with special needs.  

And as schools and districts prepare for the new school year, they will find that students with identified ADHD now fall within clearly established federal guidelines.  This will require that districts effectively communicate these guidelines, work with schools to identify students properly, allocate resources for the expected increase in IEPs, develop appropriate plans and strategies, and monitor and evaluate the transition.

More importantly, teachers, site administrators, and support staff, will need to be provided with comprehensive and sustained professional development and support. In a recent LA Times article, ADHD Is Now Classified as a Specific Disability Under Federal Civil Rights Law, Joy Resmovits describes the expectations of this new law.