What Every Teacher Should Know About ADHD: Advanced Application (PD+)

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Building on foundational knowledge of ADHD, What Every Teacher Should Know About ADHD 2: Advanced Application is a graduate-level course designed for K–12 educators and administrators seeking to implement high-impact, evidence-based practices in real-world educational settings. The course deepens participants’ ability to analyze and apply advanced strategies for ADHD learners related to executive functioning, motivation, emotional regulation, and independent learning. Drawing on current research, educators critically evaluate organizational and time-management supports, compare traditional and ADHD-specific behavioral frameworks, and examine the complex factors influencing homework completion, self-regulation, and student engagement. Emphasis is placed on applying this knowledge to diverse classroom contexts and aligning supports with individual student profiles.
The course is grounded in applied learning and university-level rigor, with knowledge acquisition measured through assessments, structured activities, and sustained engagement. Participants design, implement, and refine practical systems and interventions, collaborating with families and integrating classroom accommodations to support student success across school and home environments. Assignments culminate in the development of a comprehensive ADHD Student Support Portfolio, including executive functioning systems, motivation and regulation plans, homework and study supports, and a collaborative family-centered plan aligned with IEP/504 processes. Substantive participation, critical analysis, and ongoing feedback from a university instructor and expert practitioner ensure a rigorous learning experience. By the conclusion of the course, educators will possess a cohesive, implementation-ready framework of tools, strategies, and resources to enhance outcomes for students with ADHD.

Enrollment, Delivery, and Completion Information 

• EDUC 5598PLinks to an external site. : What Every Teacher Should Know About ADHD: Advanced Application
• Credits: 1 semester credit hour (letter grade A-F)
• Enrollment Type: Open enrollment with self-registration
• Completion Timeframe: 90 days from the date of enrollment
• Delivery Format: Fully online
• Purpose: K-12 professional development recertification requirements

Recertification and Professional Advancement Statement

Successful completion of this course results in a letter grade and semester credit hour from Idaho State University. As a graduate 5000-level course aligned to Idaho State University’s Graduate Catalog EDUC 5598PLinks to an external site., the course includes engagement with a faculty member and a K–12 practitioner and is designed to support professional learning and implementation in educational settings. Learners enroll as non-matriculated students, and earned grades and semester credits are recorded on an ISU non-academic transcript endorsed by the university Registrar. Applicability of this course toward K–12 teacher license renewal, recertification, salary lane advancement, or other professional advancement is determined by the relevant state board of education, licensing authority, school district, human resources office, collective bargaining agreement, or other approving entity.

Student Expectations

To earn semester credit and a letter grade in this course, students must complete the course in full and engage at the level of rigor expected in a university course. The course includes academically engaged learning through readings, lectures, videos, discussions, applied activities, assignments, and assessments. Successful completion requires consistent participation and satisfactory performance on graded coursework.

Students must:

• Spend the time necessary to complete all assigned learning materials, activities, assignments, and assessments in support of the course learning outcomes
• Demonstrate thoughtful and substantive engagement by applying course knowledge through high-quality, timely work that produces practical strategies, tools, resources, or artifacts ready for use in educational settings
• Engage with instructor feedback, where applicable
• Successfully complete all graded requirements necessary to earn semester credit and a final letter grade

Required Materials and Technology

Students must have regular access to a reliable laptop or desktop computer capable of loading and running standard software.

The computer must support word processing, presentation tools, file downloads and uploads, data review, and multimedia tasks such as viewing videos, recording audio or video, and participating in web conferencing.

The learning management system supports mobile devices, but mobile access should be considered supplemental only. Mobile devices may limit a student’s ability to complete assignments successfully, particularly those involving file handling, multimedia creation, lesson plan development, or other course activities.

An up-to-date browser on any computer or device is required, along with a reliable internet connection.

General Technology Hardware for Online/Hybrid Courses - ISU Help DeskLinks to an external site.

No textbook purchase is required for this course.

Learning Outcomes

1. Educators will be able to apply knowledge of ADHD as a brain-based, neurodevelopmental difference to reflect on how this understanding informs their professional beliefs, instructional decisions, and approaches to supporting students.
2. Educators will be able to design and implement executive functioning supports that address organization, time management, and task initiation challenges to promote long-term student independence and self-regulation.
3. Educators will be able to analyze barriers to homework and independent work and collaborate with families to implement multiple evidence-based strategies that support consistency, independence, and successful task completion.
4.  Educators will be able to analyze how motivation and emotional regulation function in the ADHD brain and apply this understanding to design and justify classroom strategies that support engagement, regulation, and positive student self-concept while shifting from punishment-based to regulation-focused responses.
5. Educators will design a comprehensive, collaborative support plan that integrates accommodations, instructional strategies, assistive tools, and family partnerships to effectively support students with ADHD across classroom and home environments.

Course Deliverables & Takeaways

ADHD Classroom Playbook: Learners will leave this course with a personalized implementation guide for their classroom. The playbook provides quick references to core content from each unit to pull out and reference in the classroom in a pinch. After each unit, educators will complete a Teacher Implementation Task that requires application of unit content into something directly usable for their classroom. These will culminate in a final portfolio outlined below.

ADHD Advanced Application Final Portfolio:

• Executive Functioning Toolkit
• Homework Success Resource
• Noticing Student Success
• Collaborative Support Plan
• Professional Statement for ADHD-Informed Practice
• Reflection

This final portfolio brings together your work from across the course into a cohesive representation of your ADHD-informed practice. It is designed to demonstrate not only your understanding of key concepts, but your ability to apply strategies, design supports, and reflect on your growth as an educator. By compiling and refining these components, you are creating a practical, usable set of tools and beliefs to guide your work with students with ADHD.

Units

Assignments and Grading

As a credit-bearing course, grading emphasizes knowledge acquisition, meaningful engagement, and the development of practical tools and artifacts that can be implemented in real educational settings.

Activities and Reflections – 50%

Activities and reflections may include short written responses, graphic organizers, planning exercises, checklists, and applied reflections. These assignments are designed to help you connect course concepts to your professional context and begin developing ideas, strategies, and resources for use in your school or educational setting.

Final Portfolio – 50%

Create a professional-quality implementation artifact that demonstrates your understanding of the course content and your ability to apply it in practice. The final artifact should synthesize learning across all 10 units and result in a comprehensive toolkit, plan, framework, resource set, or other professional-grade product that is ready to use in your educational setting. The project should reflect both knowledge mastery and practical application and be appropriate for use by a K–12 teacher or administrator.

Projects are assessed for clarity, accuracy, depth of understanding, alignment with course concepts, professional quality, and readiness for implementation in an educational setting. Final submissions should demonstrate the level of rigor expected of university coursework and be suitable for review in professional or accreditation contexts

Projects are assessed on clarity, accuracy, connection to course concepts, and appropriateness for course level.

Grading Scale: ISU grading policyLinks to an external site.

• A = 90–100%
• B = 80–89%
• C = 70–79% 
• D = 60–69%
• F = below 60%

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to follow institutional policies on academic honestyLinks to an external site.. Plagiarism, cheating, or misrepresentation of work undermines learning and will result in appropriate consequences as defined by university policy. If you are unsure whether something is acceptable, ask before submitting work.

Accessibility and Disability Services

The university is committed to providing an accessible learning environment. If you have a documented disability and need accommodations, contact the Disability Services office Links to an external site.as early as possible to ensure that reasonable accommodations can be arranged. Students without documentation who believe they may have a disability or learning difference are encouraged to consult Disability Services about evaluation options and campus resources.

Classroom Climate and Respect

This course addresses topics related to disability, learning differences, and personal experiences. Students are expected to maintain a respectful, supportive environment, keep classmates’ stories confidential, and listen with openness and empathy. Disagreement is normal, but it should be expressed respectfully.