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“Masking” is part of life, especially for those with autism or A.D.H.D. But hiding your true self comes with a cost.

In Grade 2, Jasper Fleming acquired his “superpower.”

The Edmonton native had developed anxiety over the previous two school years, unable to read and write at the same level as his peers.

It wasn’t for a lack of intelligence — his parents, Lise and Aric, say he was extremely well-spoken — but that only exacerbated the nerves.

Toward the end of the school year, Fleming got his answer: he was diagnosed with severe dyslexia.

The diagnosis was a blessing for Fleming: “it was nice to put a name to [it],” he said. From there, he was able to attack life with all the proper information.

“Everything that I do in this world revolves around dyslexia, which is, I think, the biggest superpower I’ve ever had in my life.”

The effective planning and delivery of services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in South Africa is severely constrained by the lack of reliable data.

The Hawaiʻi DOE offers at least $10,000 to special education teachers to fill open positions, but most schools have reported worsening shortages.

School districts are going to receive about $140 million less than they originally expected to provide special education services this year. 

The state will be reimbursing the services — which public schools are legally obligated to provide — at 35 percent, instead of the expected 42 percent. 

That’s because school districts spent more on special education than the Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimated, according to DPI. 

Some Republican lawmakers also want to ensure the federal government meets its legal obligations to students with disabilities as President Donald Trump seeks to shutter the agency.

Fifty years ago, just after Thanksgiving of 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, the landmark law that created special education as it exists today, and guaranteed all children with disabilities the right to a “free appropriate public education.”

Yet, “rather than celebrating progress, we face a crisis,” warned a recent letter to Congress, signed by hundreds of disability, civil rights and education groups.

Many teachers initially certified in special education don’t stay there.

For the last 30 years, nearly every state has struggled to find and keep educators qualified to support students with disabilities. The intensity and variety of student needs makes special education a challenging role as well as a crucial one. But without proper support, districts may unintentionally create a revolving door of special educators.

Researchers find that state and local policies need to target not only attrition but also the reasons behind turnover.

The deal Congress reached to re-open the federal government requires the Trump administration to reinstate federal workers who were fired in October, including those charged with overseeing the nation’s special education laws. But it’s not clear how long they’ll be back.

“People who react negatively to ‘ADHD’ often don’t understand what it entails. And in a time when labels are discussed frequently on social media, some people who would be otherwise compassionate may be skeptical or dismissive of what you’re trying to say about your life with ADHD.”

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common disability diagnosis in children globally. It can make school difficult for children – affecting their behaviour in class, their attendance and their academic performance. But research my colleagues and I conducted has shown why physical activity may be one way of helping children with ADHD to thrive in school.

People with ADHD and autism have to mask their instincts if they want to be included. But the strain exacts a very high price.

For students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder who are applying to college, planning ahead can ensure they receive the mental health care and academic support they need.

Undiagnosed dyslexia can manifest as behavior issues, which can disproportionately harm Black and brown kids in school and their mental health.

Rox found out she had ADHD when she was 36 has said it is “like there is life before and life after” diagnosis.

Rox and her partner Rich, from Basingstoke, run ADHD Love, an Instagram account where they share what it is like to navigate a relationship when one partner is neurodivergent and the other is neurotypical.

The term “neurodiversity” is still relatively new. Until recently, no one had asked neurodivergent people themselves what they thought about the language used to describe them. So, we decided to do just that. Our new research found a mixture of positive and negative views about words like “neurodiversity” and “neurodivergent”.

The Education Department wants to ease state data collection burdens. Critics say the change would limit transparency and harm equity efforts.

Though there’s still no official plan to transfer the duties out of the Education Department, advocates are voicing concerns against such a move.

A paperwork change proposed by the U.S. Department of Education would end an important accountability measure that helps ensure states adequately identify and address racial inequities in special education, disability rights advocates say.

Chronic special education teacher shortages leave many students with disabilities without access to the instruction and support they need to meet learning and lifetime goals. 

Nearly 60% of special education teachers reported using AI to develop an IEP or Section 504 plan during the 2024-25 school year, according to CDT.

Major moves by the Trump administration have some debating, and others defending, the federal oversight system that supports students with disabilities.

Research suggests that mindful meditation for ADHD can train the brain to better concentrate and hold focus. Could this approach help you better control your ADD symptoms?

Are you up to date on ADHD research?

One in four pupils at the school—and one in five in England as a whole—has special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), based on assessments by their teachers. Nationwide, external assessment designate a quarter of those pupils as complex cases, requiring legally binding plans for support.

A new government programme, covering one in six primary schools, is training teachers in how such children understand the world. This initiative is borne out of desperation. Children who received a diagnosis in 2022-24 were waiting an average of two years for a first assessment through the National Health Service (NHS). In some areas the waiting time is now ten years. But when they finally reach the front of the queue, parents realise that a diagnosis does not resolve their child’s problems.

A group of parents say Manitoba’s plans to introduce universal reading assessments don’t go far enough.

The parents and their children gathered at the provincial legislature Friday in support of a private member’s bill that would establish mandatory screenings for learning disabilities.

A more effective system is needed to address learning challenges all students face, not just those receiving IDEA services, CRPE researchers say.

Analysis of Louisiana schools reveals that it’s very difficult to earn a high overall rating if low-income kids are not doing well. A handful of states, including Louisiana, Florida and Mississippi, each have accountability systems that give schools points based on the academic growth of their lowest-performing students. Given the national trends where performance has fallen further among these children, more states should consider such measures. While policymakers can take some heart in knowing that good schools tend to be consistently good across student groups, the flip side is also true: Bad schools tend to be bad for everyone, and state policymakers should focus more on district-level performance issues than within-school gaps.

Timothy Shanahan, a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago, has spent his career evaluating education research and helping teachers figure out what works best in the classroom. In his new book, “Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives,” Shanahan takes aim at one of the most common teaching practices in American classrooms: matching students with “just-right” books. He argues that the approach — where students read different texts depending on their assessed reading level — is holding many children back. Teachers spend too much time testing students and assigning leveled books, he says, instead of helping all students learn how to understand challenging texts.

Beginning last year, transitional kindergartners were not assessed for English language proficiency, a decision many TK teachers celebrated. For now, California has no formal way of determining transitional kindergartners’ English proficiency, which means schools miss out on federal and state funding for English learners. Schools are not required by law to provide students with language services or report their academic or language progress on the California School Dashboard. But this summer, the state Legislature set aside $10 million in the budget to select a new screener for schools to use to identify TK students who need more help learning English. The state superintendent of public instruction has to select a list of screeners by March 31, which will then be tested in some districts in 2026-27 before requiring screening in 2027-28.

We’ll save you the trouble of wondering: Yes, people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have considered using a planner, setting an alarm clock, and creating reminders on their phone. No, those suggestions aren’t helpful.

In fact, these are among the worst things you can say to someone with ADHD.

While no official plan is in place yet, it’s Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s goal to shut down the department, said an agency spokesperson.

Amy Lieberman, the education editor at The Conversation U.S., spoke with Josh Cowen, a scholar of education policy, to understand how these cuts would hinder the educational opportunities for children with special needs.

Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities Executive Director Beth Swedeen considers impacts of U.S. Department of Education funding cuts and layoffs on special education in the state.

The shutdown means there is, essentially, no Education Department. The latest round of layoffs would leave few workers to enforce special education and civil rights laws.

Many news outlets have reported an increase – or surge – in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, diagnoses in both children and adults. At the same time, health care providers, teachers and school systems have reported an uptick in requests for ADHD assessments.

These reports have led some experts and parents to wonder whether ADHD is being overdiagnosed and overtreated.

Some of the most common supports for students with ADHD might not be effective.

A federal judge temporarily halted a U.S. Department of Education plan to gut its special education office(opens in a new window), but advocates say that the future of services for students with disabilities remains uncertain.

From mentorship to preparation and pay, new analysis highlights policy areas states should consider for addressing shortages of these teachers.

Sweeping layoffs announced Friday by the Trump administration landed another body blow to the U.S. Department of Education, this time gutting the office responsible for overseeing special education, according to multiple sources within the department.

Layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education will leave no more than a handful of staffers in the agency’s special education office, jeopardizing oversight of the nation’s programs for students with disabilities, advocates say.

On Friday, the Trump administration fired most employees at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The Department of Education office is tasked with protecting the rights of millions of children with disabilities across the country and ensuring they get an education. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Laura Meckler, national education writer for The Washington Post.

As the disorder began to be recognized, the psychologist helped shape the way it was understood by the public and professionals.

It’s a symbol meant to protect and empower thousands of Coloradans, yet most people don’t even know it exists.

Printed on state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards, the Invisible Disabilities symbol has been available since 2022. It’s a small icon that can be voluntarily added to a person’s ID to signify they live with a disability that isn’t immediately visible such as PTSD, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, or learning disabilities.

When pediatricians diagnose preschoolers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, there are clear steps they are supposed to take.

Behavior therapy should come before medication, but study finds gaps

Millions of grown-ups are now being diagnosed with what was once thought to be a childhood condition: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. What did health-care providers miss? And how do you know if you’re affected?

In these stories, we explore what science is telling us about how the adult symptoms manifest, what risk factors may be at play, and how one overlooked population—women—is offering a new perspective on how the disorder really works.

As our diagnostic categories expand to include ever milder versions of disease, researchers propose that the act of naming a malady can itself bring relief.

Excessive squirming and fidgeting. Difficulty paying attention. A tendency to act impulsively and make careless mistakes. Trouble acting cooperatively. These hallmark symptoms of childhood ADHD run counter to behavior that teachers welcome in their classrooms.

It’s perhaps unsurprising, then, that the estimated 11% of the nation’s children who have the common developmental disorder tend to get punished far more than their classmates.

This ADHD Awareness Month, follow ADDitude’s guide to dispelling myths and misconceptions with science, research, and expertise. Click each image below to learn more.

One member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights questioned whether there was enough information to call the shortage a crisis.

As a child, Saran Tugsjargal’s school gave her a long list of labels that described her disabilities. But there was one that stuck out the most: emotionally disturbed.

“Youth and families need an IEP template that speaks to them, not a federal document that looks like a corporate document,” she said.

Her goal was to make sure that there was space for a statement from the student and also their parents, as well as teachers and other educators

Explicit, systematic instruction is also critical for students with dyslexia, ADHD and other learning disabilities, says one expert.

General education classrooms should be the first consideration when determining an educational setting for a student with disabilities.

A support group in Manchester is helping young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to have a deeper understanding and acceptance of the condition.

Many Gen X women are navigating the “chicken or egg” of ADHD symptoms and perimenopause, without adequate guidance.

Brown’s view of ADHD as an executive function disorder and his development of the Brown Executive Function/Attention Scales changed how clinicians assess, diagnose, and care for patients with ADHD.

Researching ADHD as a condition with benefits as well as deficits could help shift stigma.

To enable a more representative way to play and learn with your children, the toy company launched its new LEGO Friends Universe, including digital content featuring the latest generation of characters, storylines, and associated toys. The new characters live with ADHD, anxiety, Down syndrome, vitiligo, and other relatable personal experiences.