Transforming ADHD Support: Why Interventions Matter
In classrooms across the United States, students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often met with well-meaning but insufficient support. Affecting over 11% of children and adolescents, ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in schools today. This translates to at least one student in every class.
For these students, the consequences of ineffective educational approaches can be far-reaching—ranging from academic struggles and low rates of post-secondary school attendance to higher rates of under- and unemployment.
Dr. Judith Harrison, an Associate Professor of Special Education at Rutgers Graduate School of Education, is working to change that. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience teaching and counseling students with ADHD, Dr. Harrison is challenging a long-held norm in special education: the overreliance on accommodations.
“Instead of teaching students to manage their time, we were giving them more time,” Dr. Harrison said. “We were removing expectations, instead of building skills.”
The strong mentorship of Dr. Steven Evans, Co-Director of the Center for Intervention Research in Schools at Ohio University, along with awards and grants, allowed Dr. Harrison to develop her comparative research to understand how to teach students with ADHD the skills they needed.
With funding from prestigious sources including the Spencer Foundation and the Society for the Study of School Psychology, Dr. Harrison has conducted randomized controlled trials comparing accommodations—like extended time—to active interventions that teach executive functioning skills such as organization, self-management, engagement, and note-taking. The research demonstrates that skill-based interventions yield significantly better outcomes. Accommodations alone often show no measurable benefit—and in some cases, even harm.
Her work has garnered over 1,600 citations and is influencing real change in schools. In Bergen County, NJ, Natasha Dillion, special education director at Robert L. Craig School, has seen the impact firsthand.
“I have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Harrison for many years during her time as a special education coach in my district,” said Dillion. “Her guidance has been pivotal in shifting our focus from simply providing accommodations to truly teaching students the skills they need to succeed. She always challenges us by asking what strategies our teachers will use to teach skills and bridge gaps, rather than focusing solely on how we can accommodate students who receive special education services.”
As a result of this collaboration, Dillion’s team has transformed how they develop
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and support students in general education classrooms. Instead of simplifying word problems or providing step-by-step prompts, students are taught modeling and visualization strategies. Test-taking skills are now explicitly taught rather than relying solely on testing accommodations. Intervention time is prioritized during the school day to ensure targeted instruction can take place.
Despite these gains, Dr. Harrison warns that research comparing accommodations to interventions is still in its infancy. A recent meta-analysis she co-authored identified 35 accommodations commonly recommended for students with ADHD. Only one—reading aloud—demonstrated any consistent benefit. Others, like extended time, showed evidence of harm.
The added cost of educating a child with ADHD is estimated at $6,799 per year—rising to $8,349 for adolescents. Yet if these resources are directed toward ineffective support, the return on investment is minimal.