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This resource explains Universal Design Learning (UDL) and allows access to resources that can help a teacher implement UDL into their classroom.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again in our UDL Rising to Equity initiative.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

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Highlights school counselor's role in planning the transition process for students with IEPs. This module also discusses how to plan the transition process.

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Page 4: Overview of a School Counselor's Roles for Transition

School counselors provide counseling for all students, and this can include transition planning for students with disabilities. Careful organization and planning might help to avoid a major pitfall: developing a transition plan but failing to implement it.

As Mr. Hunter works with students and their families, he realizes that the goals and needs of each student are quite different and that transition services may vary greatly for students. As part of the transition planning process, school counselors may have many roles:

Conveying information about career and personal competencies

Identifying the post-school opportunities and services to which students may have access

Supporting students to help them transition from high school to life after high school

Working with students to develop their measurable post-secondary goals

Helping the IEP team to develop measurable post-secondary goals and the transition services needed to achieve those goals

Conducting assessments across all life domains

Identifying the best curricular options and developing a course of study

Guiding transition activities (e.g., connecting to service agencies)

Monitoring progress on the transition plan

Because Sandra's parents have encouraged her to dream about what she wants to do in her life, Sandra has an advantage over students who may not have been given the chance to think about their post-school expectations or aspirations. As a result, it is likely that Sandra will experience positive post-school employment outcomes. Of course, Mr. Hunter knows that for some of his students with disabilities he will have to do more in-depth planning and provide greater coordination with adult service agencies. Doing so will require him to work closely with students and families to offer higher levels of advocacy and support during the students' transition process.

Transition Update - Defining Sandra's Goals

Mr. Hunter meets with Sandra to review her goals. He knows that Sandra wants to become a nurse, so they discuss the realistic demands of the training. Sandra responds that she does not want to go to college. Mr. Hunter suggests that there are other careers in nursing that Sandra could pursue. She might, for example, become a nursing assistant or a medical assistant.

Sandra's Original Goals Sandra's Redefined Goals

Education/ Training
(Required in the IEP)

After high school, Sandra will attend a 2- or 4-year college and enroll in the nursing program.

After high school, Sandra will attend a Nursing Assistant training program to become a certified nursing assistant.

After high school, and completion of the nursing program, Sandra will work full time as a nurse.

After high school, and completion of the Nursing Assistant training, Sandra will work full time as a nursing assistant.

Independent Living
(When appropriate)

After high school, Sandra will live in her own apartment.

After high school, Sandra will live in her own apartment.

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IRIS | Page 4: Overview of a School Counselor's Roles for Transition

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School counselors provide counseling for all students, and this can include transition planning for students with disabilities. Careful organization and planning might help to avoid a major pitfall: developing a transition plan but failing to implement it.

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This IRIS module identifies how to engage families in collaboration efforts.

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This IRIS module discusses strategies used to assist students struggling with executive function skills. This module will be beneficial to refer to when determining goals on a students IEP.

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The DEC Recommended Practices are designed to help improve the learning outcomes of young children (birth through age five) who have or who are at-risk for developmental delays or disabilities. Please note that, because the IRIS Center has not yet developed resources aligned with DEC Topic 8: Transition, that topic is not currently listed on this page.
Assessment

A1. Practitioners work with the family to identify family preferences for assessment processes.

A2. Practitioners work as a team with the family and other professionals to gather assessment information.

A3. Practitioners use assessment materials and strategies that are appropriate for the child's age and level of development and accommodate the child's sensory, physical, communication, cultural, linguistic, social, and emotional characteristics.

A4. Practitioners conduct assessments that include all areas of development and behavior to learn about the child's strengths, needs, preferences, and interests.

A5. Practitioners conduct assessments in the child's dominant language and in additional languages if the child is learning more than one language.

A6. Practitioners use a variety of methods, including observation and interviews, to gather assessment information from multiple sources, including the child's family and other significant individuals in the child's life.

A7. Practitioners obtain information about the child's skills in daily activities, routines, and environments such as home, center, and community.

A8. Practitioners use clinical reasoning in addition to assessment results to identify the child's current levels of functioning and to determine the child's eligibility and plan for instruction.

A9. Practitioners implement systematic ongoing assessment to identify learning targets, plan activities, and monitor the child's progress to revise instruction as needed.

A10. Practitioners use assessment tools with sufficient sensitivity to detect child progress, especially for the child with significant support needs.

A11. Practitioners report assessment results so that they are understandable and useful to families.

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The DEC Recommended Practices are designed to help improve the learning outcomes of young children (birth through age five) who have or who are at-risk for developmental delays or disabilities. Please note that, because the IRIS Center has not yet developed resources aligned with DEC Topic 8: Transition, that topic is not currently listed on this page.

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Forms will be completed during IEP meetings and distributed to school personnel following the meeting to ensure they understand their role and responsibility in assisting this student.

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A resource for caregivers to use at home with their students struggling with executive functions. The caregiver chooses 3 struggling areas of executive functions and the site provides an activity to complete with the child to improve the 3 areas.

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At a glance

Executive function is a group of important mental skills.

These skills help us pay attention, get organized, and plan.

People use executive function skills all the time to get things done.

Not all experts look at executive function in the same way. But many view it as a group of important skills that include:

These skills can impact people at home, in the workplace, at school, and in social situations.

The three areas of executive function

According to many experts, the five executive function skills listed above fit under these three umbrellas:

What it is: The ability to keep information in mind and then use it in some way

Example: An employee might use this skill to hold on to information needed to work on a bigger project, like a presentation or a report.

What it is: The ability to think about something in more than one way

Example: A student might use this skill to answer a math problem in two ways or to find relationships between different concepts.

What it is: The ability to ignore distractions and resist temptation

Example:A child might use this skill to keep from blurting out an answer in class or to stay seated until dinner is done. Inhibitory control also keeps people from acting impulsively.

Here are some other skills that might be hard for people who struggle with executive function.

Reflection: Reflection is a process that allows people to stop and think before they respond to something. This skill is key for solving problems. The more they practice it, the better adults and kids get at reflection.

Processing speed: People need to go through a reflection process quickly in order to solve problems on time. That's where processing speed comes in. Some experts view this skill as the engine that drives how well people use executive function skills to solve problems and achieve goals.

Key takeaways

The three areas of executive function are working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control.

Executive function skills allow people to think before they act and consider consequences.

Processing speed impacts how well people can use executive function skills.

About the author

About the author

Gail Belsky is executive editor at Understood. She has written and edited for major media outlets, specializing in parenting, health, and career content.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Philip D. Zelazo, PhD is the Nancy M. and John E. Lindahl Professor at the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota.

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What are executive functioning skills? What are examples of executive function skills? Learn about different executive skills, and the three areas of executive function.

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A brochure that explains the purpose and how to receive services from the collaborative.

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Quick guide for students who may need these services.

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This website provides step-by-step instructions for writing an IEP and what to include in certain sections. This is a great resource for teachers when they are stuck when writing and myself when assisting teachers.

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How to Write an IEP | IEP Writing Guide by TeachTastic Publishing

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A step-by-step guide to writing an individualized education plan IEP for special needs students, including sample text and IEP goals justification.

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Quick reference for understanding the difference between in IEP or 504 plan.

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Depending upon the student's individual needs, a school district may be required to provide the following: specialized instruction, modifications to the curriculum, accommodations in non-academic and extracurricular activities, adaptive equipment or assistive technology devices, an aide, assistance with health-related needs, school transportation, or other related services and accommodations.
How is a Section 504 Plan Similar to IEP?

Evaluation

Accommodation on standard testing

Related services to assist in accessing regular education

Appeals made to the Bureau of Special Education Appeals BSEA

How is a 504 Plan Different from an IEP?

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A Section 504 (commonly referred to as a 504 Plan) is a plan designed to accommodate the unique needs of an individual with a disability, as required by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA)....

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Resource for parents when discussing establishing a 504 plan for a child.

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What Is a 504 Plan?

A 504 plan is a way for schools to provide support for students with a disability so that they can learn in a regular classroom.

The name 504 plan comes from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs or activities that receive federal funding (such as public schools or publicly funded private schools). This ensures that students with disabilities can get a free education that works for them.

Who Can Get a 504 Plan?

Students are eligible for 504 plans if they have a disability that limits daily life activities such as self-care, walking, seeing, breathing, hearing, speaking, or learning.

Students who need a 504 plan can include those with:

A student returning to school after a serious illness or injury also might get a 504 plan.

How Is a 504 Plan Made?

First, a parent, teacher or other school staff member, health care provider, or therapist asks the school to evaluate the student for a 504 plan. Every school handles 504 plans a little differently, but most have a 504 team that may include the principal, teachers, school nurse, guidance counselor, and psychologist. The team looks at a child's grades, test scores, medical records, and what teachers report about the student to decide if the student is eligible for a 504 plan.

If the 504 team decides that a student is eligible, they work with the parents to decide what kind of supports (called accommodations) the student needs to succeed. These are listed in the 504 plan.

What Does a 504 Plan Include?

The 504 plan is based on each student's needs and strengths. Accommodations can include:

sitting in a certain place or with a certain desk or chair in the classroom

extra time on tests and assignments

use of speech-to-text (dictation) for writing

modified textbooks (such as one that can be read aloud to the student)

adjusted class schedules

verbal (out loud) testing

allowing visits to the nurse's office

occupational therapy or physical therapy

Many other accommodations are available. If a parent asks for one that the school can't provide, the school might offer another one that would help. Most accommodations in 504 plans don't change what the student learns - rather, they remove barriers to learning.

The 504 plan should be reviewed at least yearly to make sure the accommodations are up to date and work for the student's needs.

How Do 504 Plans and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) Differ?

The main difference is that:

A 504 plan provides accommodations so a student can learn in a regular classroom.

An IEP is a plan for specialized learning (for example, for dyslexia) or special education. 504 plans don't usually change what the child learns but IEPs can.

There are other differences too, such as who is eligible, who creates the plan, and how changes are made to the plan.

Some students have both a 504 plan and an IEP. For example, a student with autism spectrum disorder may have an IEP for learning supports and a 504 plan for occupational therapy.

What Happens if Parents Don't Agree With the School About the 504 Plan?

Sometimes parents and the school disagree on whether a child should have a 504 plan and/or what should be in it. If this happens to you, start by setting up a meeting to talk to the school 504 team. Schools want their students to succeed and will work with parents.

If you still have concerns, you can ask for a mediation session with a mediator. A mediator is professionally trained to help with the discussion without taking either side. If the issue is not resolved in the mediation session, you can request a due process hearing. You may need to get a lawyer for the hearing. You can also make a written appeal to the school district or the U.S. Office for Civil Rights saying that the school violated 504 rights.

How Can Parents Help?

You are your child's most important teacher and advocate. Help your child by building a strong relationship with the 504 team. This way, you show that you value education and that you want to work together respectfully to help your child succeed at school.

It also helps to:

Understand the 504 plan. Know what the accommodations are and how they will be used.

Talk to the school about how your child is doing. Let them know if you think the accommodations are working.

If you think you need to add or change accommodations, talk to the 504 team about your concerns.

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Kids who have special needs in the classroom may be eligible for a government-supported learning plan.

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A resource to provide parents to review when the discussing establishing an IEP for a child begins.

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What's an IEP?

Students who need extra help and support in school may be eligible for special education services in the form of anindividualized education program (IEP). This program is offered free of charge to families of kids in public schools and outlines the goals and any support services that may be needed for a child to succeed in school.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says that parents and guardians of students with disabilities or special health care needs are important members of their child's education team. They should work with educators to develop a plan that helps kids succeed in school.

Understanding how to get and use these services will help your child be as successful as possible in school.

Who Needs an IEP?

Students who are eligible for special education services need an IEP. While there are many reasons that students could be eligible, some common conditions include:

How Are Services Offered?

In most cases, the services and goals outlined in an IEP can be offered in a general school environment. This can be done in the regular classroom (for example, a reading teacher helps a small group of children who need extra help while the other kids in the class work with the regular teacher.) The small group serves students with similar needs who are brought together for help.

Every effort is made to help kids learn alongside their peers who do not have disabilities. But sometimes the level of support needed can't be met in a general classroom, so students are educated in a specialized learning classroom that is more appropriate for their needs. These classes have fewer students per teacher and allow for more one-on-one instruction. The teacher usually has training in helping kids with special educational needs. Students spend most of their day in a small group classroom and join the regular classes whenever possible - for example lunch, gym, or the arts.

What's the Referral and Evaluation Process?

The referral process begins when a teacher, parent, or doctor is concerned that a child may be having trouble in the classroom, and the teacher notifies the school counselor or psychologist.

The first step is to gather specific information about the student's progress or academic problems. This may be done through:

a conference with parents

a conference with the student

watching the student in class to assess performance (attention, behavior, work completion, tests, classwork, homework, etc.)

This information helps school officials decide the best next step. Sometimes new classroom strategies are all that's needed to help a child become more successful. If this doesn't work, the child will get an educational assessment, which can find a specific learning disability or other health impairment.

Note: The presence of a disability doesn't automatically guarantee a child will get services. To be eligible, the disability must affect how the child does at school. To decide on a child's eligibility, a team of professionals will consider their observations, as well as how the child does on standardized tests and daily work such as tests, quizzes, classwork, and homework.

Who's On the Team?

As a guardian, you can decide whether to have your child assessed. If you choose to do so, you'll be asked to sign a permission form that will detail who is involved in the process and the types of tests they use. These tests might include measures of specific school skills, such as reading and math or developmental skills, like speech and language.

The professionals on the evaluation team can include:

When the team finishes the assessment, a comprehensive evaluation report is developed. This report includes an educational classification and outlines the skills and support the child will need.

You can review this report before an IEP is developed. If there is something that you don't agree with, work together with the team to come up with a plan that best meets your child's needs.

How Is an IEP Developed?

The next step is an IEP meeting with you and the team to decide what will go into the IEP. A regular teacher should also attend this meeting to offer suggestions for how the plan can help your child progress through the standard education curriculum.

At the meeting, the team will discuss your child's educational needs - as described in the evaluation report - and develop specific, measurable short-term and yearly goals for each of those needs. You can take an active role in developing the goals and determining which skills or areas will receive the most attention.

The cover page of the IEP outlines the support services your child will get and how often they will be provided (for example, occupational therapy twice a week). Support services might include:

Services might also include transportation, test help or modifications, participation in special programs, and the inclusion of transition planning beginning at age 14.

If the team recommends several services, the amount of time they take in the child's school schedule can seem overwhelming. To ease that load, a professional may talk with your child's teacher to come up with strategies that help but won't offer hands-on instruction. For example, an occupational therapist may suggest accommodations for a child with fine-motor problems that affect handwriting, and the classroom teacher would incorporate these suggestions into the handwriting lessons taught to the entire class.

Other services can be delivered right in the classroom, so the child's day isn't interrupted by therapy. The child who has trouble with handwriting might work one-on-one with an occupational therapist while everyone else practices their handwriting skills. When deciding how and where services are offered, the child's comfort and dignity should be a top priority.

Your child's IEP should be reviewed annually to update goals and make sure your child is getting the support that's needed. However, IEPs can be changed at any time on an as-needed basis. If you think your child needs more, fewer, or different services, you can request a meeting and bring the team together to discuss your concerns.

What Are My Legal Rights?

Guidelines (sometimes called procedural safeguards) outline your rights as a parent to control what happens to your child throughout the IEP process. For example, timelines ensure that the development of an IEP moves from referral to providing services as quickly as possible. When your child is referred, ask about this timeline and get a copy of your parents' rights.

The parents' rights also describe how you can proceed if you disagree with any part of the evaluation report or the IEP - mediation and hearings are some options. You can get information about low-cost or free legal representation from the school district or through early intervention programs.

Attorneys and paid advocates familiar with the IEP process will provide representation if you need it. You also may invite anyone who knows or works with your child whose input you feel would be helpful to join the IEP team. Federally supported programs in each state support parent-to-parent information and training activities for parents of children with special needs. The Parent Training and Information Projects conduct workshops, publish newsletters, and answer questions by phone or by mail about parent-to-parent activities.

What Else Should I Know?

Parents have the right to choose where their kids will be educated. This choice includes public or private elementary schools and secondary schools, including religious schools. It also includes charter schools and home schools.

But parents should know that the rights of children with disabilities who are placed in private elementary schools and secondary schools are not the same as children with disabilities who are enrolled in public schools.

Two major differences that parents, teachers, school staff, private school representatives, and kids need to know about are:

1. Children with disabilities who are placed by their parents in private schools may not get the same services they would get in a public school.

2. Not all kids with disabilities placed by their parents in private schools will get services.

The IEP process is complex, but it's also an effective way to address how your child learns. If you have concerns, be sure to ask about the evaluation findings or the goals recommended by your child's IEP team. You know your child best and should play a central role in creating a learning plan tailored to their specific needs.

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individuals with disabilities education act

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Some kids may be eligible for individualized education programs in public schools, free of charge. Understanding how to access these services can help you be an effective advocate for your child.

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Description of cognitive, academic, & social skill difficulties for students experiencing SLD, ADHD, EBD, Mild ID, and ASD.

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Resource to refer to when explaining the referral process to parents.

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This website identifies overlapping symptoms of trauma with ADHD. It discusses how to differentiate. This is a great resource to share with teachers when they become frustrated or do not understand why a student is acting/reacting a certain way.

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When kids are struggling with behavior and attention issues, the first explanation that comes to mind is often ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder).

But exposure to trauma can also cause symptoms that look like ADHD. And trauma can be overlooked and left untreated when kids are misdiagnosed with ADHD.

Children with ADHD can be fidgety (always getting out of their seats), distracted (not paying attention to the teacher), and disruptive in class. Kids who have had a traumatic experience - or repeated exposure to violence or abuse - do some of the same things, explains explains Jamie Howard, PhD, a clinical psychologist who is a trauma expert at the Child Mind Institute.

Some children who've been exposed to violence or another disturbing experience develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are also many kids who experience repeated traumatic events in their home or community who develop these symptoms, even though they don't meet all the criteria for PTSD. This is sometimes called "complex trauma," and these kids, too, can be misdiagnosed with ADHD.

And to add to the confusion, kids can also have both ADHD and trauma.

Symptoms of PTSD or complex trauma that might look like ADHD include:

Hyperarousal. Children who've been through a trauma, or exposed to repeated trauma, are unusually sensitive to signs of danger or threat. "If you're on high alert for danger - if you have all sorts of stress hormones surging in your body - it's going to make it hard to sit still and calmly pay attention," explains Dr. Howard. "That can look like the hyperactivity and impulsivity of ADHD."

Reliving traumatic events. Kids exposed to trauma may mentally re-experience traumatic events, and that can make kids look spacey and distracted, like kids with the inattentive type of ADHD. "If you're having intrusive thoughts about a traumatic event you've been through, you're not attending to the present moment," notes Dr. Howard. "You're distracted because you've been through something so big that your mind can't digest it."

A negative view of others. Kids who've experienced trauma have a tendency to perceive people as hostile, to assume they have negative intentions towards them. That can cause kids to act out in ways that can look impulsive (a symptom of ADHD) or oppositional (something kids with ADHD often develop). But in kids with trauma, it's a response to a perceived threat. "Their fight-or-flight system has been activated and is firing even when there is no danger present," notes Caroline Mendel, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute.

Difficulty with executive functions. Like kids with ADHD, children who've experienced trauma tend to have trouble with executive functions like staying focused, planning how to complete a task, managing emotions or thinking things through before acting.

The first step in distinguishing what's causing a child's behavior is to consider their history - to find out if they've been exposed to trauma, and the timeline of their symptoms- whether they appeared earlier or after than the trauma. It's also useful to find out whether there is a family history of ADHD, Dr. Mendel notes, because kids whose close relatives have ADHD are more likely to have it themselves.

A clinician looking at all the symptoms a child is exhibiting would be able to identify behaviors of ADHD that distinguish it from trauma, and vice versa. For instance, notes Dr. Howard, kids who are hyperactive and impulsive have behaviors that don't map with trauma: "Interrupting, excessive talkativeness, running down the hallway." Having a variety of hyperactive and impulsive symptoms points to ADHD.

In the same way, kids with PTSD have symptoms that are not consistent with ADHD. For instance, they experience intrusive, disturbing thoughts- not a symptom of ADHD.

Another symptom of PTSD is avoidance of things that remind you of the traumatic experience. As Dr. Howard puts it, "Are they avoiding going home? Getting in a car? Lingering in the hallways at school? Especially if you know what trauma they've been exposed to, consider if there's a strategic component to some of their behaviors, because with PTSD it's all designed to keep you safe." Again, this kind of avoidance does not stem from ADHD.

Complicating the task of diagnosis, it's also possible for kids to have both ADHD and PTSD.

In fact, there is evidence that children with ADHD who have a disturbing experience are four times as likely to develop PTSD than kids without the disorder. And they're likely to experience more severe trauma symptoms than kids without ADHD.

Imaging studies show that ADHD and PTSD are associated with similar irregularities in brain functioning, which could explain the heightened risk. And that heightened risk means that children with ADHD need extra attention and support in case of a traumatic experience, and should be screened for PTSD, notes Dr. Mendel. Kids diagnosed with PTSD should be screened for ADHD, too.

If trauma goes undiagnosed and a child is treated with stimulant medication for ADHD, in some cases the medication can increase trauma-related anxiety, making children more hypervigilant and on edge. If a child is known to have both ADHD and PTSD and stimulant medication makes them more anxious, a clinician would likely decide to switch to a non-stimulant medication.

Most important, when signs of trauma are misdiagnosed as ADHD, children are unlikely to get the specific support they need to deal with the trauma in a healthy way. Unless they get treatment that addresses the trauma with something like trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), their symptoms aren't likely to improve. "ADHD treatment is not going to help them process the trauma," explains Dr. Mendel. "It won't help with their relationships with others, how they see the world, how they view themselves or their future. They're still going to have difficulties managing the thoughts and feelings that come along with having experienced the trauma."

In addition, kids who have behavior problems stemming from unrecognized PTSD tend to be stigmatized, especially if they are diagnosed with a behavior disorder like oppositional-defiant disorder or conduct disorder. "If a school is seeing a child through a behavior lens, they're going to be more likely to remove them from the class, to suspend them, even to call 911," observes Dr. Mendel. "And again, that is not the supportive environment that a child who has experienced trauma needs to heal."

If a child is having trouble in school, even a well-intentioned clinician may run down a quick list of the symptoms and conclude that the issues are due to undiagnosed ADHD. And, without a more thorough evaluation, that diagnosis can seem like the simplest explanation. "ADHD screening tools are great for identifying children who need support," notes Dr Mendel. "But if we rely on ADHD checklists alone, without looking at the big picture, it may lead to misdiagnosis."

Parents might not see a link between the child's behavior and possible trauma - or they may not feel comfortable talking about disturbing experiences the child might have had. As a result, they may not volunteer information about it unless they're directly asked. And a clinician might well be reluctant to ask about trauma - which includes things like domestic violence, abuse and neglect - out of worry that it might damage their relationship with the family.

It's especially critical to be alert to the possibility of misdiagnosis in communities where there is a high level of violence. "In populations where kids are exposed to a lot of community violence, there are higher rates of ADHD diagnosis," Dr. Howard notes. It's possible that some of those diagnoses are missing signs of trauma.

Kids are also more at risk where there is poverty, whether it's in urban or rural communities, explains Dr. Howard. "Where there's poverty, there's more trauma, and usually fewer educational resources and taxed teachers." And kids often hide traumatic events, lack the words to explain them, or don't see or understand them for what they are.

Studies show that students of color are more likely to be treated as behavior problems than white students, which can lead to misdiagnosis. "We know that BIPOC students are more likely to be referred and suspended for disciplinary reasons than their white peers," notes Dr. Mendel. "But there's also a higher likelihood of them experiencing traumatic events, whether it's racial trauma or another stressor, like poverty or community violence."

That said, trauma can happen anywhere, to any child, and is often invisible to outsiders. "You don't know if there's domestic violence going on at home," says Dr. Howard. "You don't know if a child's been in a terrible car accident." As a clinician, she says, "You should always consider what's happened to this child that might be causing them to behave this way."

That's why, Dr. Mendel adds, a series of questions about traumatic events should be part of a standard evaluation for any mental health challenge. If it's standard procedure, a family might be less likely to feel singled out by questions about possible trauma, she notes. "Asking those questions should be part of a diagnostic evaluation for any disorder. Look at the symptoms of depression, there's some overlap with trauma. Look at symptoms of anxiety, there's overlap with trauma. You always want to make sure that you have the full picture."

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Is It ADHD or Trauma? - Child Mind Institute

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When kids have behavior and attention issues the first explanation that comes to mind is often ADHD. But exposure to trauma can also cause symptoms that look like ADHD. And trauma is often overlooked when kids are misdiagnosed with ADHD.

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This handbook is a comprehensive guide for parents with EC students. It provides parents with policies in schools, the IEP process, IDEA eligibility and much more.

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This handbook explains the policies surrounding serving children with disabilities in North Carolina schools.

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This source has all the IDEA disabilities listed and the criteria needed to be eligible for the disability status.

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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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300.8 Child with a disability.

(1) Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having an intellectual disability, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as "emotional disturbance"), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, an other health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

(i) Subject to paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section, if it is determined, through an appropriate evaluation under §§300.304 through 300.311, that a child has one of the disabilities identified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, but only needs a related service and not special education, the child is not a child with a disability under this part.

(ii) If, consistent with §300.39(a)(2), the related service required by the child is considered special education rather than a related service under State standards, the child would be determined to be a child with a disability under paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(b) Children aged three through nine experiencing developmental delays. Child with a disability for children aged three through nine (or any subset of that age range, including ages three through five), may, subject to the conditions described in §300.111(b), include a child-

(1) Who is experiencing developmental delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: Physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development; and

(2) Who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

(c) Definitions of disability terms. The terms used in this definition of a child with a disability are defined as follows:

(i) Autism means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences.

(ii) Autism does not apply if a child's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance, as defined in paragraph (c)(4) of this section.

(iii) A child who manifests the characteristics of autism after age three could be identified as having autism if the criteria in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section are satisfied.

(2) Deaf-blindness means concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness.

(3) Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

(i) Emotional disturbance means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance:

(A) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors.

(B) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers.

(C) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances.

(D) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression.

(E) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems.

(ii) Emotional disturbance includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance under paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section.

(5) Hearing impairment means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness in this section.

(6) Intellectual disability means significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term "intellectual disability" was formerly termed "mental retardation."

(7) Multiple disabilities means concomitant impairments (such as intellectual disability-blindness or intellectual disability-orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. Multiple disabilities does not include deaf-blindness.

(8) Orthopedic impairment means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).

(9) Other health impairment means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that-

(i) Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and

(ii) Adversely affects a child's educational performance.

(10) Specific learning disability-

(i) General. Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.

(ii) Disorders not included. Specific learning disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of intellectual disability, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

(11) Speech or language impairment means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child's educational performance.

(12) Traumatic brain injury means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Traumatic brain injury applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. Traumatic brain injury does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.

(13) Visual impairment including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.

[71 FR 46753, Aug. 14, 2006, as amended at 72 FR 61306, Oct. 30, 2007; 82 FR 31912, July 11, 2017]

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Sec. 300.8 Child with a disability - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

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300.8 Child with a disability. (a) General. (1) Child with a disability means a child evaluated in accordance with §§300.304 through 300.311 as having an intellectual disability, a hearing impairment (including deafness), a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment (including blindness), a serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this part as "emotional disturbance"), an...

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This source has documents for parents that explains the special education eligibility, referral, and EC acceptance process.

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Dispute Resolution

Any person who has a concern about the education of a student with a disability can raise the issue in one of several ways. For example, it is always appropriate to discuss the matter with the student's teacher or principal at the local school, or it is also helpful to contact the Director of Exceptional Children Program in the central office of the school system, charter school, or state operated program.

The Office of Exceptional Children consultants for dispute resolution and consultants for instructional support and related services are also able to offer consultation to assist parents, advocates, or school system, charter school, or state operated programs personnel who request help with problem-solving.

Consultants at the Department of Public Instruction are neutral and refrain from taking sides when there is a disagreement, but consistently advocate for appropriate services for children with disabilities. They are committed to the protection of rights for children with disabilities and their parents.

An informal means of problem solving is provided through the Office of Exceptional Children Facilitated IEP Program for school systems, charter schools, state operated programs, and parents.

Formal means for dispute resolution are also available through the Department of Public Instruction, Office of Exceptional Children. These options are requirements of federal and state laws governing special education - Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), and Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities.

When there is an unresolved disagreement over identification, evaluation or educational placement of a child with a disability or the provision of free appropriate public education, the options for dispute resolution are mediation, formal written complaint, and due process hearing. A formal complaint filed on the same issue(s) as contained in a petition for a due process hearing will not be investigated. These options are also available to the adult student who has reached the age of majority (18), unless legally deemed incompetent or unable to make educational decisions.

Dispute Resolution Consultants

The consultants for dispute resolution work with parents, traditional local educational agencies, charter schools, state operated programs and other individuals to resolve disputes. They provide information about facilitated IEP meetings, mediation, formal written complaints and due process hearings. They also investigate formal written complaints.
Dispute Resolution Brochure
Due Process Resolution Results Form - last revised February 2023 ( Spanish form link here)

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The parent resources page includes information about Policies for Students with Disabilities, dispute resolution, mediation, facilitation, state complaints, and other resources to help parents navigate the special education system.

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Website with endless resources for SSW. It also includes the population's SSW serve and their responsibility to those populations. This site also provides training resources for SSW and so much more.

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These are professional evaluations tools used by SSW to assess their development and reflect on areas that they can improve upon.

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NCEES Information and Resources - School Social Worker