An Evaluation of 504 and Individualized Education Programs for High School Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Issue 3 (14th September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hustus, Chelsea L.; Evans, Steven W.; Owens, Julie Sarno; Benson, Kari; Hetrick, Allyse A.; Kipperman, Kristen; DuPaul, George J.
• Is Part Of: School psychology review. Volume 49:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 333
• Page End: 345
• Publication Date: 2020-09-14
• Subjects: ADHD -- Individualized Education Programs -- Section 504 Plans -- teacher expectations; School psychology -- Periodicals; Educational psychology -- Periodicals; Psychopédagogie -- Périodiques; Educational psychology; School psychology; Schoolpsychologie; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 370.15
• DOI: Https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1777830
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2372-966X

Abstract

Abstract: When adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) demonstrate impairment in academic performance, school professionals have the option of using strategies that reduce expectations (formally or informally), using interventions that facilitate skill development in the student, or both. Because there are unintended consequences of reducing expectations, it is important to determine how often such approaches are used in schools. The goals of this study were to examine, in a sample of 183 high school students with ADHD, (a) the impairments, goals, and services documented on school-based service plans and (b) the expectations of educators for youth with and without ADHD in their classroom. To achieve these goals, we collected and coded Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans and asked general and special education teachers to complete a survey assessing common classroom expectations and informal adjustments to expectations for students with and without ADHD. Our analyses indicated that when academic deficits were present on service plans, in nearly all cases there were goals to address this deficit. However, this high level of alignment was not found for behavior deficits. Further, teacher expectation data revealed that special education teachers were more likely to reduce student expectations than were general education teachers; however, general education teachers also reported reducing expectations to some degree for students with ADHD relative to typically developing students. We interpret these results in the context of a life course approach to intervention decision making and discuss implications for school professionals.