ADHD and IEPs: qualifying under Other Health Impairment

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Children with ADHD who get an IEP often qualify under Other Health Impairment, or OHI. The federal rules name ADHD as a condition that can cause limited alertness in the classroom. To qualify, ADHD must hurt your child's school performance, and your child must need special teaching because of it. A diagnosis alone is not enough.

When a school evaluates a child with ADHD for special education, the eligibility report usually lands on one of three answers: Other Health Impairment, specific learning disability, or not eligible for an IEP. This page explains the first one in plain words, shows an annotated eligibility summary you can hold next to your child's, and lists the questions to ask.

If you want to see what the IEP itself looks like once your child qualifies, read IEP for ADHD. If the team is talking about a 504 plan instead, see 504 vs IEP for ADHD.

What "Other Health Impairment" means

Other Health Impairment is one of the disability categories in the special education law. It covers health conditions that cause limited strength, energy or alertness. The federal rule lists ADHD by name. It also says limited alertness can mean being too alert to everything around you, which then makes it hard to pay attention to schoolwork.^[1]

That is a good description of many children with ADHD. They notice the hallway noise, the pencil sharpener and the bird outside, and miss the teacher's directions.

The two-part test

Your child qualifies for an IEP under OHI when both of these are true:^[1]

ADHD adversely affects educational performance. This is broader than grades. It can include missing work, not finishing tests, behavior that keeps your child out of class, or falling behind in reading or writing.
Your child needs special education because of it. Special education means teaching designed for your child's needs, not only changes like extra time.

The team decides both parts together, using information from more than one test or source.^[4] If only part 1 is true, the team may suggest a 504 plan.

How the school decides

The evaluation must look at all areas related to the suspected disability, using a mix of tools. No single test can decide.^[3] For ADHD, it often includes:

Rating scales from you and from teachers.
Classroom observations, often during independent work.
Grades, missing work and discipline records.
Academic testing in reading, writing and math.
Your child's medical history, including a doctor's ADHD diagnosis if there is one.
Sometimes tests of attention, memory and executive function.

The school has 60 days from your consent to finish the initial evaluation, unless your state sets its own timeline.^[2]

An annotated eligibility summary

This is a fictional summary for a 3rd grader named Eli. Your child's report will look different, but the parts are similar.

What each part tells you:

(1) The category and the condition behind it. A medical diagnosis is useful evidence, but the school makes the education decision.
(2) Proof of the effect on school, with numbers. Look for real data, not only "struggles with focus."
(3) Why accommodations alone are not enough. This is often the deciding part. It should name skills to teach.
(4) The decision. If you disagree, you can say so in writing.

Those skills become IEP goals. The library has IEP goals for ADHD and goals for other health impairment if you want to see examples.

OHI, learning disability or 504 plan

	OHI	Specific learning disability	504 plan
What it centers on	Attention, alertness, energy	A gap in a skill area such as reading, writing or math	Equal access
Typical evidence	Rating scales, observations, work completion	Academic testing and response to instruction	Records and teacher input
What your child gets	IEP with goals, services and accommodations	IEP with goals, services and accommodations	Accommodations, no goals
Can it include ADHD supports?	Yes	Yes	Yes

The category does not limit services. The evaluation must be broad enough to find all of your child's needs, whether or not they are usually linked to the category.^[3] A child with ADHD and dyslexia might qualify under either category and still get help in both areas. The specific learning disability guide covers the other category.

Questions to ask the team

"Which category are you considering, and why that one?"
"What data show that ADHD affects my child's schoolwork?"
"What accommodations have you tried, and for how long?"
"What skills do you think my child needs to be taught?"
"Did you look at writing and reading too, or only attention?"
"Can I get the evaluation report a few days before the meeting?"
"If my child is found not eligible, what happens next? Will you write a 504 plan?"
"If I disagree with the evaluation, how do I ask for an independent one?"

What to do next

Ask for an evaluation in writing if your child has not had one. The guide on how to request an IEP evaluation has a sample letter.
Read the report before the meeting. Mark parts 2 and 3 above in your copy.
Know your options. If you disagree with the school's evaluation, you can ask for an independent educational evaluation at public expense.^[5]
Call your Parent Training and Information Center. Every state has one, and help is free. Find yours through the Center for Parent Information and Resources.^[6]

The glossary has short entries on Other Health Impairment, ADHD and eligibility.

Frequently asked questions

Is ADHD considered a disability for an IEP?

ADHD is listed in the federal definition of Other Health Impairment. It counts for an IEP when it hurts school performance and the child needs special teaching because of it. Not every child with ADHD meets both parts.

Do I need a doctor's diagnosis for OHI?

Many states ask for a medical statement for the OHI category, and a diagnosis is strong evidence. Rules differ by state. Ask your school what it needs, and remember the school must still do its own evaluation.

Can my child qualify under OHI with good grades?

Yes, it is possible. Educational performance includes more than grades, such as work completion, behavior and written output. The team must also find that your child needs special teaching.

Does the category change what services my child gets?

No. Services come from your child's needs, not the label. A child under OHI can get reading, writing, behavior or organization help if the evaluation shows a need.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.8: Child with a disability, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.301: Initial evaluations, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.304: Evaluation procedures, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.306: Determination of eligibility, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.502: Independent educational evaluation, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
Center for Parent Information and Resources, CPIR

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.