Case Study: Maya

Case Study: Maya 

Maya is a 16-year-old junior at a public high school. In ninth and tenth grade, she earned mostly B’s and participated in the school’s art club. Maya is a thoughtful and creative student, with particular strengths in visual arts. This year, however, her teachers have noticed a significant change. She frequently arrives late, misses assignments, and has become increasingly withdrawn in class. Her attendance has dropped to 85%, and she has stopped participating in extracurricular activities, including art club. 

Maya has a documented Specific Learning Disability (SLD) in reading comprehension and written expression. She receives specialized instruction and classroom accommodations through an IEP, including explicit instruction in reading comprehension strategies, extended time on assignments and tests, access to text-to-speech software, and teacher-provided notes. Although she has access to these supports, her current needs may not be fully addressed, as her academic performance has declined, particularly in English, history, and science courses that require extensive reading and writing. 

Recently, Maya disclosed to a trusted teacher that she has been experiencing persistent anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and trouble concentrating. She describes feeling overwhelmed by schoolwork and worries constantly about falling further behind. Although she wants to succeed, she often avoids starting assignments because they feel “too big” to tackle. She has also begun visiting the school nurse more frequently with headaches and stomachaches, especially on days when major assignments are due. Her anxiety may be interacting with her learning disability, making it more difficult for her to succeed at academic tasks 

At home, Maya’s parents report that she spends hours trying to complete homework but often becomes frustrated and gives up. They are supportive but disagree about how much pressure to place on her academically. They have recently begun seeking outside mental health services but have encountered long waitlists in their community. 

Several teachers have expressed concern that Maya appears disengaged, while others believe she simply needs to put forth more effort, highlighting different interpretations of her needs. Maya has expressed that she wants to do well in school, but is having trouble figuring out the increased pressure of junior year.  The school counselor, special educator, classroom teachers, and Maya’s family are preparing to meet to discuss how best to support her academic progress, emotional well-being, and long-term success. 

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