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Parent Survey 2026

The homework paradox for neurodiverse learners.

What 100 families told us about getting schoolwork done at home.

We asked 100 families what homework actually looks like at home. This report reflects what they told us.

2 in 3

neurodiverse middle and high schoolers feel overwhelmed before they even start their homework.

7 in 10

parents are anxious about their child's academic success.

7 in 10

students have an IEP or 504 plan, and still feel overwhelmed at home after school.

48%

of parents are dissatisfied with the homework support their school provides.

Based on a survey of 100 parents of neurodiverse middle and high school students.

The Homework Paradox · A report from Opolo 01 / 07

Who we heard from

Most of these children carry more than one diagnosis.

Parents could select every diagnosis that applies to their child, and most chose several. The numbers below add up to more than 100 percent because these strengths and challenges rarely arrive one at a time.

ADHD / Executive function81%

Anxiety / Emotional regulation51%

Autism / Sensory processing44%

Dyslexia / Dysgraphia / Dyscalculia31%

Twice exceptional (2e)26%

Language and communication (OWLD, DLD)4%

81%

ADHD and executive function lead the sample. The survey was distributed through ADHD-focused parent communities online, so the sample skews toward ADHD and executive function challenges. Families whose child's primary diagnosis is autism, dyslexia, or a language-based learning difference without an ADHD co-diagnosis are likely underrepresented. Every finding in this report should be read with that context.

Diagnoses · Parents could select all that apply 02 / 07

What we heard

Section 01 · The work itself

Middle school is the inflection point.

Elementary Middle High Bars show the share at each level. All = whole sample.

Overwhelmed before they even startAll 57%

Elem38%
Middle69%
High64%

Too hard or boring to stay focusedAll 51%

Elem50%
Middle60%
High39%

Not understanding what the assignment asksAll 37%

Elem35%
Middle49%
High25%

Not enough timeAll 30%

Elem18%
Middle37%
High36%

Too much information to sort throughAll 27%

Elem15%
Middle29%
High39%

We only attend school a few hours a week due to burnout. We have opted out of homework.

Parent of a middle schooler

38→69

Feeling overwhelmed before starting nearly doubles from elementary (38%) to middle school (69%). This is the moment the work changes shape, and it is exactly where families tell us they need a different kind of support.

What students struggle with most · by school level 03 / 07

What we heard

Section 02 · The subjects

Where the work feels hardest.

Elementary Middle High

ELA / WritingAll 65%

Elem65%
Middle71%
High57%

MathAll 41%

Elem32%
Middle46%
High46%

ELA / ReadingAll 32%

Elem41%
Middle26%
High29%

History / Social studiesAll 27%

Elem9%
Middle31%
High43%

ScienceAll 16%

Elem9%
Middle14%
High29%

ELA and writing is the top struggle at every grade level. It does not fade as students advance. It is joined by more subjects, with history and science climbing steadily into high school.

Subjects students struggle with most · by school level 04 / 07

What we heard

Section 03 · The feeling

Stress that climbs with every grade.

Parent anxiety Child stress

Share rating anxiety or stress 4 or 5 out of 5. Across the whole sample: parent anxiety 61%, child stress 51%.

+16

Child stress climbs consistently with grade level, from 41% in elementary to 57% in high school. High school parents are the most anxious of all, at 68%. The stakes have shifted.

Section 04 · The blind spots

Where parents lose visibility.

75%

Large project deadlines are a blind spot

Elementary77%

Middle82%

High63%

74%

Point values are a blind spot

Elementary97%*

Middle70%

High54%

66%

Weekly assignments are a blind spot

Elementary77%

Middle69%

High48%

Center figures show the whole sample. *Many elementary schools do not use point-weighted grading or formal LMS tracking, so this figure likely reflects the absence of a formal grading system rather than a transparency gap.

"Different ones for each class, which is part of the problem. Google Classroom, Amplify, Canvas."

A parent, on where they look for assignments

Parent anxiety, child stress, and visibility · by school level 05 / 07

The cost and the gap

Section 05 · The gap

A plan on paper isn't support at home.

7 in 10

have a formal plan in place, and are still overwhelmed at home. Across all levels, 71% of these students have an IEP or 504 plan. The support that exists at school does not follow them home, which is exactly where the work falls apart.

Students with a formal plan (IEP or 504)

Elementary68%

Middle77%

High68%

Whole sample: 71% have a formal plan.

Satisfaction with school homework support collapses by high school.

Satisfied (4–5 of 5) Dissatisfied (1–2 of 5)

Elementary29% satisfied · 47% dissatisfied

Middle29% satisfied · 43% dissatisfied

High14% satisfied · 57% dissatisfied

14%

By high school, only 14% of parents are satisfied with the support their school provides, down from 29% in the earlier years. Across the whole sample, 48% are dissatisfied. Satisfaction does not hold steady as the work gets harder. It falls away.

Formal plans and satisfaction · by school level 06 / 07

What we heard

Section 06 · The cost

The resources and the need don't line up.

Spending 4 or more hours a week helping

Elementary18%

Middle29%

High18%

Whole sample: 22% spend 4 or more hours a week.

Paying $500 or more a month for outside support

Elementary12%

Middle9%

High29%

Whole sample: 15% pay $500 or more a month.

Who is paying for outside support at all.

Paying something Paying nothing

Elementary56% paying something · 44% paying nothing

Middle37% paying something · 63% paying nothing

High54% paying something · 46% paying nothing

29%

By high school, nearly a third of families are spending $500 or more a month on outside resources like tutoring and academic coaching, almost triple the rate of middle school families. The spending peaks where school satisfaction is lowest.

29%

Middle school carries the heaviest hands-on load. The most parents spending four or more hours a week helping, yet the least likely to pay for outside help. This is a gap families have not yet found a solution for.

The homework paradox for neurodiverse learners.

Most of these children carry more than one diagnosis.

Middle school is the inflection point.

Where the work feels hardest.

Stress that climbs with every grade.

Where parents lose visibility.

A plan on paper isn't support at home.

Satisfaction with school homework support collapses by high school.

The resources and the need don't line up.

Who is paying for outside support at all.

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