Recent estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that approximately 3% of children in the United States are identified with autism spectrum disorder, 510% with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, 2% to 6% with Tourette’s syndrome, and 13% with other neurodevelopmental disorders.
At the same time, the current ratio of students to school psychologists in public schools is 1,065 to 1. By necessity, then, supporting neurodivergent students is a collaborative endeavor.
Teachers, principals, administrators, and parents all play a part in recognizing early indicators, communicating openly and productively, and providing the support students need to grow and thrive.
Early indicators: Dysregulation and isolation
The first step in supporting students with mental health challenges and learning differences is to build rapport and a relationship with the students. With this rapport comes trust, and that trust often allows students to be more open and unmask potential behaviors or patterns that they might otherwise hide.
One pattern that could be observed in a neurodivergent student is difficulty in regulating emotions. Emotions that seem out of proportion to the situation may be a signal that a student is struggling with processing or sensory input.
Instead of bouncing back quickly, a student might become so overwhelmed by changes in routine that they struggle to regain their equilibrium. Some other behaviors to monitor are:
- A lack of consistent friends
- Preferring the company of adults instead of their peers
- Sensitivity to various stimuli (noises, smells, bright lights, etc)
As a whole, children are social creatures who, like adults, feel the need to belong and crave some type of socialization. This socialization is also an integral part of growth and development.
A child who is by choice preferring to be alone, especially chronically, may be experiencing challenges that a trusted adult may need to address. As an educator and the dean of pastoral care at , I encourage my students to talk to their teachers if theyre struggling, but even students who long for someone to confide in may not feel comfortable reaching out.
It is important for children to feel safe in their school space, as well as their home space, so that they are more likely to feel supported.
Building rapport with students and families
If a teacher or other administrator brings a student to my attention, my first step is to ask if the parents have been contacted. Following this, I will pull data from other teachers to see if that student is exhibiting the same type of behavior in their classes.
We dont want to change the child; they are not broken. The idea is simply to ask if everything is OK, and make sure we are doing everything we can to serve the whole child.
Building accommodation plans
An accommodation plan is known by many names: IEP, inclusion plan, education plan, IENA plan, etc. However, it all boils down to the same thing, which is a written document outlining the strengths, difficulties, potential triggers, and accommodation provided to the child to give them their best chance at success.
When I build these plans, I don’t begin with paperwork. I begin with a conversation with the parent and the child.
A neurological or psychological assessment may tell me scores, but they dont tell me about the child. I ask families to tell me what their child loves, what they do well, and whats hard for them.
Every accommodation plan is unique to the child, because each child is unique. Taking a strength-based approach to accommodation plans leads to students feeling empowered rather than labeled, and helps educators build support structures that actually work.
Our job as educators is to meet each learner where they are. Whether supporting behavioral regulation, academic growth, or emotional well-being, the goal is the same: to understand who each student is today and to help them grow into who they can become.
