Common School Accommodations for Depression

Child and adolescent depression is unfortunately common in the United States. In 2023, the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimated that nearly 1 in 5 teens (ages 12-17) experienced at least one major depressive episode. For many of those teens, the symptoms were severe enough to seriously affect their daily life. The highest rates of depression were among multiracial adolescents (24.4), and white adolescents (19.6%).

Legal Protections for School Accommodations for Depression

If your child’s depression affects their learning or daily functioning, they may qualify for a 504 plan. This is a legal document that outlines specific supports the school must provide, under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

How to get started:

1. Submit a written request to your child’s school asking for a 504 evaluation.
2. Provide documentation from a healthcare provider confirming the depression diagnosis and how it affects your child’s education.
3. Attend a meeting with the school to review their evaluation and create a plan with accommodations tailored to your child’s needs.
4. Review the plan yearly to make sure it still works as your child grows and changes. 

Example School Accommodations for Depression

“The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (2024) provides a fact sheet for assisting children with depression in schools. Here are some examples of reasonable accommodations to benefit fully from the school’s educational opportunities as a student with depression.

1. Testing Support

Depression can cause cognitive symptoms like difficulty concentrating and having a hard time making decisions. This can impact a child’s ability to successfully complete a test or quiz in the typical environment or timeframe. To help, your child may be allowed:

• Extra time on tests (e.g., 1.5x the usual time)
• A quiet, low-distraction space for testing

2. Classroom Flexibility

Some children benefit from:

• Breaks from the classroom such as allowing a child to discreetly leave the classroom if they need help, either from a “school counselor, social worker, special education coordinator, or other school support.”
• Sitting near the door so they can leave discreetly if needed
• Assigned seating to reduce social stress or anxiety

3. Emotional Support

Children with depression may feel tired, sad, or overwhelmed. Regular check-ins with a school counselor or support staff can give them a safe space to talk and feel supported. You can ask for these meetings to be part of their weekly schedule.

4. Medical Leave or Extended Absences

If your child needs time away from school or more intensive treatment, the school administration and support staff can help plan for that, with the goal of avoiding summer school or grade retention due to missed time. This might include:

• Adjusting deadlines
• Providing work to complete at home

Real-Life Examples of School Accommodations for Depression

In the article “My Teen with Depression Won’t Go to School. What do I do?” by Gwen Gulick, the author provides an example of how an accommodation was helpful for her daughter. Depression affected her experience at school, and for educational support she was able to listen to music on her phone in her own quiet space. Understandably, many schools may not allow phones at school. However, there are instances where they can be useful to support student functioning throughout the school day. 

Like Gulick’s daughter, I also benefited from listening to music at school. When I was in middle school and struggling with depression, I was often permitted to listen to music. It was not an official accommodation, but when the class was working on individual work, it made a huge difference for me. Every child and teen is different, and what helps one student may not help another. But schools are required to support reasonable accommodations by law.  As Gulick says, it is important to remember that the goals for school are not based on aiming for the highest grades, but overall well-being for your child.

For more ideas to support children and adolescent mental health in schools, watch our School Mental Health series videos.

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Author

Cameron Bartlett is a volunteer blog copywriter for Families for Depression Awareness, a psychology major undergrad student at UMass Lowell, and works in direct care with patients in a behavioral health unit. Cameron first became fascinated with abnormal psychology and is now expanding into cognitive psychology, assisting a professor at UML in a research lab. In his free time, Cameron listens to music of all kinds, walks dogs, and spends lots of time with his family and friends.

Copy Editor

Nicole Tirone is a social worker turned adult learning expert with a passion for digital accessibility and plain language. She volunteers as an editor to help FFDA equip people with tools to support their loved ones. In her free time, Nicole enjoys podcasts, reading, painting, volunteering, and photography.