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Boston School District Finally Recognizes Sickle Cell Disease as Impeding a Student’s Education

February 13, 2018 by Andrea

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Last week, the Boston Globe reported that the Boston, Massachusetts public school system has officially decided to recognize sickle cell disease as a disability that can affect a child's education. For a condition that has been known to exist for more than 100 years, this is long overdue.

Because of the occurrence of crises, hospitalizations, and other complications that can arise with sickle cell warriors, students are often forced to miss classes -- upwards of 20-30 days, according to a 2006 study. And as recently as 2016, the journal article "School Performance and Disease Interference in Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease" confirmed that "missing school can have [a] significant impact on educational attainment in adolescents with SCD; attainment is measured through grade retention, special education rates, and letter grades." The article goes on to say, "Difficulties associated with missed instruction are further complicated by subject matter that builds on previous knowledge such as mathematics and foreign languages. Additionally, adolescents may miss exams and standardized tests."

For these very reasons, the Center for Law and Education, along with the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, filed a complaint against the Boston school system back in 2015, the Globe reports. This lead to a series of adjustments in school policy and ultimately to the official recognition as stated earlier. According to the Globe, the school system has also created a Sickle Cell Advisory Group.

Every school district in this country can look to Boston as an example of how to reform its own policies addressing students with disabilities, so all students do indeed receive a "free and appropriate" education. Does your local school district recognize SCD as a disability that can inhibit a student's education? Tweet us @XickleRBC and let us know!


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