When researchers study why some students perform differently in school, they often look at social factors like family income, neighborhood, and school quality. However, when studying students with learning differences, such as ADHD, these same external factors are often not considered.
New research from Portland State University reveals that a family's social and economic circumstances can have a greater influence on a student's success in math than formal academic support or special education—regardless of disability status. While this may seem like common sense, it's frequently overlooked: students with learning differences face the same challenges as their peers when it comes to factors like financial stability, access to resources, and family support.
A journal article in the February 2025 issue of Social Science Research finds that social conditions play a large role in the academic success of students who are diagnosed with a learning disability and/or ADHD. Learning disabilities can include things like dyslexia (trouble with letters), dyscalculia (trouble with numbers), or dysgraphia (trouble with writing). When a student is diagnosed with one or more of these conditions, there is a tendency to assume that this condition is the sole cause of any differences in their academic performance. The research says otherwise.
The factor that matters more than any other for students' math progress wasn't special education. It was their family's socioeconomic status.
The paper was authored by Dara Shifrer, an associate professor of Sociology at Portland State University (PSU), Angela Frederick, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Texas at El Paso, and PSU sociology doctoral candidates Daniel Mackin Freeman, Hannah Sean Ellefritz and Rachel Springer.
Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, the research team sought to answer two questions:
- Which social factors (formal disability programming, universal supports, structural inequities) are most salient for differences in high math course attainment?
- To what extent do social factors explain differences in math course attainment across disability groups?
Findings from data on students in diverse contexts across the nation indicate that the factor that matters more than any other for students' math progress wasn't special education, but rather their family's socioeconomic status.
DISABILITY DOES NOT PRECLUDE SUCCESS
Previous research indicates that when a condition is seen as purely neurological or biological, it’s often assumed to be unchangeable through education. This mindset can have real consequences: when teachers believe a student is unlikely to succeed, those expectations can unintentionally shape the student’s own beliefs and performance.
It isn't that disabilities aren't real – they are. Students who experience neurodevelopmental differences are impacted by their medical conditions. But by embracing a social as well as a medical perspective, educators and parents can better recognize the potential of neurodivergent youth and design more effective interventions to promote their success in math.
"It's really important to shift the way that we talk: The way we tell kids that they have one of these conditions, and what we suggest is possible for them. It's empowering for people to realize that they do have some control over their outcomes, that they're not damned if they have some kind of a neurological difference," Shifrer said.
WHICH STUDENTS ARE GIVEN WHICH LABELS?
In addition to being a predictor of success, social inequities are also implicated in who is classified with a neurodevelopmental disability.
"These disabilities are a product of social inequality. Black kids are more likely to be poor, which impacts their test scores. But they are often put into special education because the reason for their struggles is assumed to be a learning challenge. And so this educational difference resulting from social inequalities is attributed instead to neurological deficiency," Shifrer said.
Moreover, some disability labels are more stigmatizing than others.
'The ones that black kids are over-diagnosed with are the stigmatizing ones: learning disability, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance. Whereas ADHD and autism, they operate differently in some ways—where they're used more by socially advantaged families," Shifrer said.
IMPROVING OUTCOMES
Completing advanced high school courses (particularly in math) benefits educational and occupational outcomes in young adulthood, as well as health and financial wellbeing in later life. More specifically, progressing beyond Algebra II is a powerful indicator of college enrollment and persistence.
In addition to recognizing that the achievement outcomes of neurodivergent youth are a product of both social and neurological factors, it is important that educators consider social factors other than formal disability programming.
Shifrer recommends taking an intersectional approach, one which acknowledges that "disability works differently, depending on your socioeconomic status."
By considering both social and neurological factors, educators can create more inclusive strategies that support students with learning disabilities and ADHD, ensuring they have equal opportunities to succeed in advanced coursework and beyond.