Given the literature review on over and under representation of ELL students in Special Education, this research aimed to study how teachers identify between ELL students who present with language proficiency learning difficulties and students who might exhibit learning disabilities. This qualitative study added to existing literature on…

This study examines the effects of English Learner (EL) status on subsequent Special Education (SPED) placement. Through a research-practice partnership, we link student demographic data and initial English proficiency assessment data across seven cohorts of test takers and observe EL and SPED programmatic participation for these students over…

Identifying English language learners (ELLs) with learning disabilities has become very important in education settings so that appropriate educational services can be provided to this group of students. Linguistic diversity may increase the measurement error and reduce the reliability of assessments. This article discusses the issues with…

Assessments in English that are constructed for native English speakers may not provide valid inferences about the achievement of English language learners (ELLs). The linguistic complexity of the test items that are not related to the content of the assessment may increase the measurement error, thus reducing the reliability of the assessment.…

Culturally and linguistically diverse students with learning disorders (LD) and emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD) have higher school dropout rates than their peers with and without disabilities. The primary purpose of this study was to determine how early potential dropouts could be identified. Research questions included the following: (a)…