Growing numbers of students are educated in charter schools, including students with disabilities (SWD). Prior research suggests that charter schools educate a smaller percentage of SWD than traditional public schools, leading to a special education gap between sectors. We used data from a large urban district to examine how choice, mobility, and…

The purpose of this guidebook is to guide the provision of Speech and Language Pathology services in order to support the educational goals of eligible students with disabilities in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). It is designed with the purpose of assuring that all Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in the District of Columbia…

What do we know about young children with delays and disabilities, and how can we help them succeed in prekindergarten through third grade? To begin with, Kathleen Hebbeler and Donna Spiker write, identifying children with delays and disabilities to receive specialized services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act poses several…

This concept paper was developed to address policies and practices for using developmental delay as a category of eligibility for young children. These policies and practices have evolved in response to changes in federal legislation and recommended practices in the field of early intervention and early childhood special education. The purpose of…

Reported here are the results of analyses to describe the patterns of identification and academic and developmental outcomes for children with disabilities, conducted as part of the 2004 National Assessment of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This report provides background context for National…

The article points out the risk of erroneous classification and inequitable treatment for students who are difficult to teach and manage. Analysis of child count data highlights variability in identification and referral processes and suggests that attempts to tighten eligibility standards, especially for mildly handicapped students, is…

Reviews the historical basis and rationale for identifying children as learning disabled due to a discrepancy between scores on measures of intelligence and achievement. Discusses the validity of such classifications and the role of IQ testing in the designation of children as learning disabled for research and public policy. Alternative…

This article reviews the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Forth Edition-Text Revision" and compares and contrasts the diagnostic criteria for individuals with autism with the educational requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Problems with using a dual classification system are…

In this introductory article, a response-to-instruction approach to learning disabilities (LD) identification is discussed. An overview of the promise and potential pitfalls of such an approach is provided. Benefits include identification of students based on risk rather than deficit and early identification. Questions concern the integrity of the…

Thirteen incarcerated girls (ages 13-17) were tested following identification of language impairment to explore why they did not receive services prior to incarceration. Results indicate speech-language pathologists may be qualifying students based on a cognitive reference instead of a discrepancy formula based on age and level of language…

A study investigated the effects of a more restrictive standard discrepancy model (SDM) on the learning-disability placement patterns of 4,100 students in Mississippi. Limiting eligibility to students who had achievement scores 1 1/2 standard deviations below their Full Scale IQ scores reduced eligible students from 124 to 36. (CR)

This article examines factors associated with the substantial under-identification, referral and service for students with emotional-behavioral adjustment problems (EBD). The validity of the EBD categorical certification is questioned. Disincentives to identification of behavior disorders are noted. It concludes that schools should abandon the EBD…

This article describes the two basic versions of the responsiveness-to-intervention (RTI) approach for identifying learning disabilities, the problem solving model and the standard-protocol approach. It reviews evidence on effectiveness and feasibility and concludes that more needs to be understood before RTI may be viewed as a valid…

This article addresses the advantages, disadvantages, and possible solutions to increased administrative problems posed by five proposed new categories of behavioral disorders: (1) attention deficit disorder, (2) traumatic brain injury, (3) fetal alcohol syndrome, (4) prenatal substance abuse, and (5) fragile X syndrome. (DB)

A study reviewed recent trends, issues, and changes within the states related to the use of discrepancy formulas and other approaches for determining eligibility of students with learning disabilities (LD) for special education and related services. A survey of the 50 states and the District of Columbia found they all have a statement in their…