Which federal law requires schools to provide services for students with ADHD?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a crucial piece of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including schools. While the ADA itself does not specifically mention ADHD, it does provide a broad, inclusive definition of disability that can encompass ADHD, meaning that students with this condition are protected under the law, allowing them access to equitable education opportunities and necessary accommodations.

The ADA ensures that individuals with disabilities are afforded certain rights and protections, which directly impact how schools must accommodate these students. Schools, as public entities, are required to provide reasonable modifications to programs and services to avoid discrimination, thereby supporting students with ADHD in their educational endeavors.

Understanding this context is important, as it highlights the necessity for schools to recognize health conditions like ADHD as qualifying disabilities under federal law, which in turn obligates them to offer appropriate support and resources. Other choices, while relevant to special education, either focus on specific conditions or educational frameworks that do not extend protections in the same broad manner as the ADA does for students with disabilities, including ADHD.