ABSTRACT

A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change a life. Individuals with Disabilities Educational Improvement Act (IDEA) entitles the child to an individualized education plan and special education instruction, and the disability must fall within 13 categories, including other health impaired, which is where Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is categorized. IDEA requires a formalized evaluation that might include a psychoeducational evaluation of child’s intelligence, academic levels, and processing abilities and possibly behavior rating scales. It could require a medical diagnosis of ADHD. More specific parental rights come into play, such as clearly defined due process rights, when there is a serious disagreement between the school district and the parents over the need for an evaluation or determination of services. Some parents are reluctant to create a “paper trail” and formalize their child’s disability in the school’s records, but it is better for our child’s chronic problems to be understood for what they are—deficits in neurocognitive processes.