Policy Options to Support Special Education Access for Students with ADHD and Tourette Syndrome

Symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Tourette syndrome (TS) can significantly affect educational experience and performance. As a result, many students with ADHD and TS have particular educational needs, including school interventions, modifications, and supports.  

Unless they qualify through another disability category in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) — the primary federal law governing special education — students with ADHD and TS may be eligible for special education services and interventions based on the Other Health Impairment (OHI) eligibility category.   

Designed for state policymakers, health care providers, school mental health specialists, and families, this resource helps clarify the OHI eligibility category and how it applies to students with ADHD and TS. It also explores how access to special education services can support these students’ learning and overall well-being, and how state and local policies can help ensure students with ADHD and TS are able to access the services they need. 

This publication is part of a project conducted in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Temple University's Center for Public Health Law Research, and ChangeLab Solutions. This publication was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,649,998.00 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.