Family agrees to home-school troubled boy

While the school and the family have not signed an agreement to have him home-schooled, administrators have been working on a detailed plan to help the family educate the boy. "Given that home-schooling is rare in China and parents need professional help, teachers will regularly visit the home and update the family with the school curriculum, for example," Chen said.

She added that the boy will remain registered with the school and will take the midterm and final exams.

Chen said that the boy has been on medication for ADHD, but it may take longer than a year before he can return to school. Children with ADHD usually have trouble focusing and often intrude on others. In extreme cases, they can grow violent and anti-social.

While Shanghai lacks special education schools for children with behavioral problems, several city hospitals can provide ADHD treatment, said Xia Lin, a press officer for Shanghai Children's Medical Center. "We have ADHD specialists at our center and also hold a weekly workshop where families with such kids can share experiences and compare notes," she said.