Landmark College Institute for Research and Training leverages a quarter century of research to close the gap between a growing neurodivergent population and educators who say they are unprepared to support these learners
Vermont Business Magazine While 7.5 million students receive special education services nationwide, most general educators feel unprepared to support these learners, according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities. Experts in neurodivergence say that gap only widens as students move into higher education.
“We’re seeing more and more neurodivergent students – diagnosed and undiagnosed – entering higher education, often in settings not designed for them,” said Rick Bryck, Senior Director of the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT). “This new generation of students is empowered with greater understanding of neurodiversity and is demanding the education they deserve. LCIRT’s goal is to educate educators on how to best support these students using research-backed strategies.”
Today, one in five students in the United States has a learning difference, including a learning disability (like dyslexia), ADHD, autism, or executive function challenges. For 25 years, groundbreaking research conducted with and for neurodivergent students through LCIRT has worked to equip educators with practical, research-based strategies that help teachers better support these learners through a strengths-based approach. The result is improved student engagement, confidence, and academic success.
Educators who complete LCIRT training through professional certificate programs, the annual Summer Institute at Landmark College, webinars, or on-site programs say the experience is transformative. Gretchen Kellough, an academic coach at The Nueva School and LCIRT program graduate, explained, “What is best practice for neurodiverse learners is actually best for all learners. The strategies I learned through LCIRT training that create access for diverse types of learners ultimately benefit every student.”
Kellough appreciates that LCIRT doesn’t just teach content but models it as well. Her capstone project, which she later turned into a workshop for the Summer Institute, focused on scaffolding executive function support in writing-intensive assessments. “Many students are simply given extra time for tasks. But extended time without extended support doesn’t work. The research-backed strategies I learned, like building structured milestones using Universal Design for Learning, are now part of my practice. That framework continues to shape how I support students, moving away from a deficit mindset and toward helping them understand and use their strengths,” she said.
Kellough’s school illustrates the challenge many institutions and school districts are facing. When she started at The Nueva School, about a dozen students had learning plans. Now about 30 percent of the school community is navigating a learning difference such as reading-based learning disabilities, attention disorders, or anxiety.
“Any mental health diagnosis often intersects with executive function challenges,” Kellough added. “If one-third of the student body is struggling with executive function, every classroom should be approached with that in mind.”
Each year, LCIRT’s work impacts more than 50,000 students, trains hundreds of educators, and partners with dozens of schools to impact inclusive, evidence-based practices. The institute has worked with schools across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as in 22 countries worldwide. Partners include Stanford University, The George Washington University, Vassar College, University of Toronto-Scarborough, and Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago.
“As a concept, neurodiversity was coined in the ‘90s, and that awareness is now turning into action. From primary schools to Ivy League institutions, educators are looking to LCIRT research for guidance. It’s exciting to see them ask ‘How can we do this better?’” said Bryck.
About Landmark College Institute for Research and Training
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT). For a quarter century, LCIRT has pioneered research on how neurodivergent students learn, developed innovative strategies that improve academic outcomes, and equipped educators with data-informed approaches to support neurodivergent learners effectively in the classroom. Its research has been published in leading journals such as the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, LD: A Multidisciplinary Journal, and the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education.
About Landmark College
Landmark College is the first college in the United States designed exclusively for students who learn differently, including students with a learning disability (such as dyslexia), ADHD, autism, or executive function challenges. We champion a strengths-based model for education, equipping students with the skills and strategies they need to succeed. Students at Landmark receive highly personalized support both in the classroom and across campus.
PUTNEY, Vt. – April 20, 2026 – Landmark College
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