A Note on Iowa Law and Academic Achievement

In Yankton School District v. Schramm, and more directly in Iowa cases that followed, courts have consistently held that academic achievement does not disqualify a student from protection under Section 504. In Iowa, the question was taken to the Iowa Supreme Court, which affirmed that a student's ability to maintain passing grades or perform at or above grade level does not mean the disability is not substantially limiting their educational experience. A student with ADHD who is working twice as hard as their peers just to keep up, or who is experiencing significant anxiety, emotional dysregulation, or social difficulty as a result of unaccommodated ADHD, may be substantially limited even if their report card does not show it. If a school tells you your child does not qualify for a 504 plan because they are doing well enough academically, that position is legally questionable and worth challenging.

Sample Letter: Requesting a 504 Plan Evaluation

Date

Dear ___________:

I am the parent of (student's full name), who is a (number) grade student in the (district name) School District and attends (name of building). I am concerned that my child may need accommodations to support them in school due to their disability. To address these concerns, I am requesting that (student's name) be considered for a 504 plan pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

I believe my child is a protected student because (list reasons why the child has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, such as learning, thinking, concentrating, breathing, walking, etc., and provide a specific diagnosis, such as asthma, diabetes, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, etc.).

Thank you in advance for your collaborative efforts to provide (student's name) with the accommodations they need to allow equal access at school and school activities.

I look forward to hearing from you in a timely manner. I can be reached during daytime hours at (phone number) or at the email address listed below. Thank you for your attention to this request.

Sincerely,

(Your name, address, and email)

Accommodations are adjustments to how a student learns, demonstrates knowledge, or moves through the school day. They do not lower expectations or change the curriculum. They remove obstacles that are getting in the way of a student's ability to perform at their actual level.

For students with ADHD, accommodations typically fall into a few categories.

Extended time on tests and assignments is one of the most common accommodations for students with ADHD. Processing speed is often impacted, and the pressure of a timed test can make it harder for a student to access what they know. Extended time, usually time and a half or double time, gives the student a more accurate picture of their knowledge.

Breaking large assignments into smaller steps with separate due dates helps students who struggle with planning and task initiation. Rather than turning in a research paper all at once, a student might submit an outline, then a draft, then a final version, with teacher feedback at each stage.

A separate, quieter testing environment reduces distractions and allows students to focus without the noise and movement of a full classroom. Some students do better with a small group setting rather than complete isolation.

Allowing tests to be taken across multiple sessions, rather than all at once, can also help students who fatigue quickly or whose attention fades over long periods.

Preferential seating, typically near the front of the room or away from high-traffic areas like doors and windows, reduces visual and auditory distractions. It also makes it easier for the teacher to check in with the student without drawing attention.

Some students benefit from being seated near a peer who models on-task behavior, or away from peers who tend to be distracting. They should not be seated next to students with disruptive behavior.

Providing a printed or digital copy of notes, outlines, or lecture slides helps students who struggle to write and listen at the same time. It also gives them something to refer back to when reviewing material.

Allowing the use of a planner or assignment notebook, with teacher initials confirming that assignments were written down correctly, supports students who have difficulty tracking what is due and when.

Checklists for multi-step tasks, color-coded folders for different subjects, and visual schedules posted in the classroom or sent home can all reduce the organizational burden on a student with ADHD.

Providing written instructions in addition to verbal ones is a simple accommodation that makes a significant difference for students who have difficulty holding multi-step directions in working memory. Asking the student to repeat back instructions, or checking in after directions are given, helps confirm understanding without singling the student out.

Reducing the number of items on a page, or allowing the student to complete fewer problems to demonstrate mastery, can help when the volume of work is the barrier rather than the content itself.

Scheduled movement breaks give students with ADHD a chance to reset before returning to focused work. This might mean a brief walk to the water fountain, a trip to deliver something to the office, or a few minutes of structured movement between tasks.

Allowing a student to stand at their desk, use a wobble chair or seat cushion, or have a fidget tool available can help them manage physical restlessness without disrupting the class.

Allowing the use of a word processor for written assignments can assist with the barrier of handwriting for students whose fine motor difficulties or slow processing speed make writing by hand laborious. Text-to-speech and speech-to-text tools can also support students who struggle with reading or written expression.

Reducing homework volume, or allowing assignments to be completed in shorter sessions across multiple days, acknowledges that a student with ADHD may have spent significant mental energy managing their attention throughout the school day and has less left over by the time they get home.

Grading written work on content and ideas separately from mechanics, when the assignment is not specifically testing writing skills, gives a more accurate picture of what the student understands.