He Has ADHD. He’s Struggling. Still No 504?
One family’s journey through confusion, advocacy, and the unexpected roadblocks to school-based support
I’m currently working with a mom who has been doing everything she can to support her son, step by step, with care, intention, and a growing understanding of what he needs to thrive. She has been learning about executive functioning and school supports as her son has moved through middle school, and it has become clear that the effort it takes for him to keep up isn’t typical.
He’s described by his teachers as kind, polite, and respectful. When he’s focused, he’s a hard worker. He’s also self-aware enough to recognize that staying organized, starting tasks, and maintaining attention take a lot more effort for him than for many of his peers. This year, with consistent support from his parents and the added structure of academic coaching, he’s worked incredibly hard—and thanks to that effort, he’s been able to maintain solid grades. But behind those A’s and B’s is a student putting in twice the effort just to stay on track.
When the teacher emails started piling up—"easily distracted," "needs frequent redirection," "inconsistent effort"—his mom trusted her instincts. She pursued a full neuropsychological evaluation, which confirmed what she had long suspected: ADHD, inattentive type.
With high school on the horizon, she wasn’t looking for shortcuts—just a fair shot for her son. She contacted me and set up academic coaching, helped him build self-advocacy skills, and requested a 504 meeting at school to get basic accommodations in place.
She went into the meeting prepared.
She walked out stunned.
As the meeting began, her heart started to race. The descriptions of her son didn’t match what she knew. It was as if they were talking about a different child. Are we talking about the same kid? she thought. Then came the suggestions—maybe try audiobooks, maybe explore medication options. And then the decision: not eligible for a 504 plan.
She was shocked. She had the diagnosis. The teacher reports. The documented executive functioning challenges. And still, she was told that unless he started failing or showing more significant struggles, he didn’t qualify.
She left that meeting feeling confused, discouraged, and yes, angry. And she told me later: if we hadn’t been working together, she probably would have gone home, second-guessed herself, and waited until next year to revisit it.
But instead, she reached out to me, this time not just as her son’s academic coach—but as her special education advocate. We reviewed the evaluation, the meeting notes, and the legal framework of Section 504. I guided her through the next steps, helping her understand her rights, clarify the law, and reframe the narrative the school had presented.
Together, we moved from emotion to action.
Here’s what we focused on:
ADHD is a recognized disability under Section 504, particularly when it limits major life activities like focusing, organizing, or completing tasks.
A student does not need to be failing to qualify. The law is about access, not just grades.
504 Plans are preventive, not reactive. They're meant to provide support before things fall apart.
Teacher input highlighting inattention, inconsistent effort, and frequent redirection is exactly the kind of evidence that demonstrates a substantial limitation.
With a clearer understanding of her rights, she regrouped. I guided her through drafting a respectful, data-informed request for reconsideration. We closely reviewed the teacher feedback, discussed how the school might be interpreting it, and reframed the conversation to focus on access rather than just report card grades.
To prepare for the next meeting, we practiced how she could communicate her concerns with confidence. I helped her organize supporting documentation, anticipate common responses, and rehearse key talking points so she would feel steady and prepared.
When she met again with the 504 coordinator and principal, she was ready. She shared information about “Child Find,” the legal requirement that schools identify and evaluate students who may need support. She brought copies of teacher emails showing consistent patterns of concern and provided clear evidence that her son’s ADHD was substantially affecting his ability to focus and learn. She even referenced the U.S. Department of Education’s Dear Colleague Letter on ADHD, which emphasizes the importance of evaluating how ADHD impacts access to education, not just academic performance.
Despite all of this, she was once again told there wasn’t enough evidence to qualify her son for a 504 Plan.
She left that meeting feeling discouraged. Her concerns, the documentation, and even her knowledge of the law had been dismissed. With support and guidance, she stayed the course and continued to advocate for her son. Knowing that high school was just months away and worried he would be left to struggle without support, she made the difficult decision to request an impartial hearing.
As her advocate, I supported her through the entire process. We had less than two weeks to prepare. I helped her gather and organize all relevant documents and guided her in building a strong, legally grounded case. We worked tirelessly to pull together 26 pages of evidence, including RTI data from as far back as fourth grade, years of report cards, and dozens of teacher emails—each one reinforcing the same pattern of difficulty with focus, attention, and task completion.
Ultimately, the hearing officer ruled in her favor. Just one week after her son completed middle school, he was granted a 504 Plan with appropriate accommodations. The parent was relieved, knowing he would begin high school with the support he had always needed. Now, he could start this next chapter on more equal footing, no longer forced to work twice as hard just to keep up, but finally equipped to learn and grow with greater confidence.
This experience is a powerful reminder that even when parents do everything right—seek evaluations, gather documentation, and come to the table prepared—they may still hear “no.”
When that happens, having the right support and guidance can make all the difference.
If you’ve ever walked out of a school meeting thinking, That can’t be right... but I don’t know what to do next, please know: you’re not alone. And there is a path forward.
This mom did everything right. And when the process didn’t reflect her son’s needs, she kept asking questions and kept showing up.
With advocacy, preparation, and a whole lot of persistence, we helped secure the support he needed—just in time for high school.
If you’ve ever walked out of a school meeting thinking, That can’t be right... but I don’t know what to do next, this one’s for you.
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— Michelle Pérez Foster