The main goal of this project is to bring the issues of the ADHD community within the education system to light, as well as to dispel some of the incredibly harmful stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding ADHD. People with ADHD face so many issues that are only made worse by the ignorance that most people have regarding the disorder. 

 

 

Teachers have almost no training regarding ADHD, so they have little ability to properly accommodate people with the disorder. This, among other things, lowers the efficiency of 504 and IEP plans for accommodation. There have been some recent movements to reform parts of the 504 system, but none of those require teacher training. That is the other main goal of this project: to advocate for the introduction of teacher training on ADHD and other disorders that heavily influence students' academic performance.

 

 

This would be beneficial for many reasons, but most importantly it would improve the quality of education for all students as strategies implemented in a classroom for the benefit of ADHD students would likely also benefit non-ADHD students. The main focus, however, would be on improving the education of ADHD students. Teacher training could do this by giving teachers strategies to be implemented within their classrooms (i.e. allowing students some measure of preferential seating, writing down due dates for assignments/projects, etc.) that could improve the education of students by making things easier and more comfortable. 

 

 

It could also potentially lower the amount of students who are suspended as many students with ADHD and similar disorders are suspended for things that are a direct result of their disorder (specifically hyperactive-impulsive symptoms) which is an unjust discrimination against a group that already struggles within an educational setting. Training could give teachers tips and strategies for deescalating situations that could potentially concern ADHD in order to help alleviate some of this, possibly unintentional, discrimination.