Jenna Deaville, M.S., LDT-C
Principal Consultant of Assessments/Evaluations, Puzzles Solutions Group – Education Services
Education, Cannabis & the Developing Mind • 2/10
A missed assignment is easy to read as a verdict. The student did not care. The student was not paying attention. And, in more and more conversations, the student must be using something. When cannabis is part of the community conversation, it can quietly become the default explanation for every slipping grade.
That shortcut deserves a second look. Attention and learning problems have many possible sources, and a missed assignment is a reason to ask better questions—not a diagnosis.
What the research can say
Public health agencies are clear that cannabis use during adolescence is a real concern. The CDC notes that the brain continues developing into the mid-twenties and that cannabis use during the teen years may affect attention, memory, and learning. [1] The National Institute on Drug Abuse similarly describes associations between adolescent cannabis use and difficulties with thinking and memory, as well as poorer school outcomes. [2]
Notice the careful language in those sources: may affect, associated with. Many studies show that young people who use cannabis, on average, also have more trouble in school. Fewer studies can show which came first, how much the cannabis itself contributed, and how much is explained by other factors such as sleep, stress, mental health, family circumstances, or a learning difficulty that was already there. Week 8 of this series will look more closely at how to read that kind of research.
For families and educators, the practical message is this: the concern is legitimate, and it still does not tell us what is happening with one particular student.
Start with the learning demand
Before deciding why a student is struggling, describe what the student is being asked to do. Some assignments demand sustained reading. Others require planning a multi-step project, remembering directions given once, working quickly under time limits, or organizing ideas into writing. A student who completes math practice reliably but rarely turns in essays is giving us different information than a student who has stopped completing work in every subject.
Useful questions include:
Which assignments are missing—all of them, or a particular type?
When did the change begin? Was there a time when this work went smoothly?
Does the student begin and then stop, or never begin at all?
Is the difficulty with understanding the content, remembering it, organizing it, or finishing on time?
What happens when the task is broken into smaller steps or the directions are written down?
These questions keep attention on observable learning, which is where school teams can actually help.
Look for the pattern, not the single moment
One missing assignment tells us very little. A pattern over several weeks tells us much more. Is the trouble concentrated in first period, after lunch, or late in the day? Did it start after a schedule change, a move, a loss, a new friend group, or a period of poor sleep? Does the student look tired, worried, irritable, or withdrawn—or does the student seem the same as always, except on certain tasks?
Patterns help separate a skill problem from a situational problem. A student who has always found reading comprehension demanding may finally be meeting texts that outpace the strategies that worked in earlier grades. A student whose work dropped suddenly across every class may be facing something new in their life. Either situation deserves support. Neither should be assigned a cause before someone has looked carefully.
Ask about support needs before assigning a cause
From an evaluation perspective, the most useful information is often surprisingly practical: what the student can already do, where the work breaks down, and which supports make a difference. A teacher might try a written checklist, a check-in at the start of a long task, or a planning conversation. A family might notice that homework goes better earlier in the evening or at the kitchen table instead of a bedroom.
If those reasonable adjustments do not help, or if the concern is broad and persistent, families can ask the school about additional support. Under federal special education law, an evaluation must use a variety of assessment tools and cannot rely on any single measure to decide whether a child has a disability or what the child needs. [3] That principle is worth carrying into everyday conversations too. One observation, one rumor, or one assumption is not enough.
When cannabis is a genuine concern
Sometimes adults have a specific, observed reason to be concerned about use. That conversation still belongs in private, and it works best when it is calm and specific. Describe what you have noticed, explain why it matters to you, and listen. Week 5 of this series focuses on talking with teens without shame.
A school professional or healthcare provider can help when concerns about substance use, mood, sleep, or safety are present. Those concerns can be addressed alongside learning supports—not instead of them. A student who is using cannabis may also have an unaddressed learning need, and a student with a learning need deserves to have that need identified on its own terms.
A better starting point
When a student misses work, try three steps. First, describe the work and the pattern. Second, ask the student, privately and respectfully, what feels hard. Third, try one reasonable support and review whether it helped.
Health concerns about adolescent cannabis use are real, and families should take them seriously. So is a student’s right to be understood accurately. Keeping both commitments is how adults protect learning without turning every struggle into an accusation.
Next week: A Smoke-Free Place to Learn—how to create a household agreement simple enough for every caregiver to follow.
Sources
[1] CDC: Cannabis and Teens
[2] National Institute on Drug Abuse: Cannabis (Marijuana)
[3] 34 CFR §300.304: Evaluation procedures
Educational information; not an individual evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment plan.
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