Ed Week on treatment of ADHD in schools
Would you believe that Elizabeth Heubeck's popular press story reveals both problems and solutions?
Writing for Education Week on 2 October 2025, Elizabeth Heubeck described how teachers resort to what amount to punitive procedures of handling the behavior of students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I like this aspect of her article because, as Dear Readers of Special Educaiton Today know, around these parts we recommend accentuating the positive rather than zapping kids for problems. One can accomplish a lot more by teaching kids how to behave appropriately than by just busting them for misbehavior.
In her report, entitled “ADHD Is Punished in Schools. How Teachers Can Flip the Script,” Ms. Heubeck chronicled not only the difficulties that teachers of students with ADHD encounter—leading to their mistaken efforts to punish their students—but also evidence-based methods for improving outcomes—for both kids and teachers. I encourage Dear Readers to review it.
Ms. Heubeck’s excellent article includes observations of practicing educators (Bryan Rotella, a high school principal) as well as accomplished researchers (Gregory Fabiano, a wonderful contributor to the literature, and a former student of our late pal, Billl Pelham, who was a top behavioral psychologist studying ADHD).1 Her experts make sensible and sensitive comments.
Ed Week has a paywall that may thwart readers from seeing the article by Ms. Heubeck.2 Still, see if you can read this quick take.
Reference
Fabiano, G. A., Schatz, N. K., Merrill, B. M., Piscitello, J., Hayes, T. B., Jusko, M., Gnagy, E. M., Greener, A. R, Tower, D., Goeckel, A., Gallo, R., Lupas, K., Gordon, C., Marcela, R., Sikov, J. Caron, S., & Pelham Jr, W. E. (2025). A randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a daily report card intervention to enhance the efficacy of individualized education programs for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 93(7), 484-499. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/ccp0000959
Pelham, Jr., W. E,, & Fabiano, G. A. (2008). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 37(1), 184-214. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374410701818681
Footnote
See Fabiano et al. (2025) and Pelham and Fabiano (2008) for evidence-based directions.
Write to me, as I may be able to provide help.