Specific learning disability (SLD) identification procedures vary across states (Maki et al., 2015, "School Psychol Quart," 30, 457-469); however, the extent to which SLD identification methods are implemented at the district level is not well understood. Moreover, the high-stakes nature of SLD identification necessitates extensive…

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the assessment models school psychologists use to identify African American students with SLDs in three of the K-12 school districts in Riverside County. A second purpose of this study was to determine how school psychologists within three districts of Riverside County…

Students with learning disabilities (LD) are a heterogeneous group of learners who exhibit below-average achievement theoretically caused by an underlying psychological processing deficit (Fletcher, Lyon, Fuchs, & Barnes, 2007). School-based identification of LD is necessary if students are to receive specialized supports and instruction…

Specific learning disabilities (SLD) identification has consistently been shown to be problematic; however, research has largely focused on SLD identification using test scores only. The present study, therefore, examined SLD identification decisions across identification methods and student evaluation data levels, including test scores,…

When education works, it creates productive, innovative citizens eager to contribute to a well-functioning democracy. In contrast, educational failure has lifelong consequences, with some individuals experiencing decades of preventable hardship. Dawn Flanagan and Joel Schneider write in this response that, like Kranzler, Floyd, Benson, Zabowski,…

Learning disability (LD) identification has long been controversial and has undergone substantive reform. This study examined the consistency of school psychologists' LD identification decisions across three identification methods and across student evaluation data conclusiveness levels. Data were collected from 376 practicing school psychologists…

School psychologists continue to play a critical role in the identification of students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in schools. However despite decades of research and debate, the field continues to lack consensus on best practice methodologies. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reauthorization in 2004 increased…

As the second iteration of the reexamination of recent court decisions concerning appropriate school psychology practice from both professional and legal perspectives, this article considers the following pair of cases with regard to the issue of eligibility under the classification of specific learning disabilities (SLD) under the Individuals…

Increased awareness of twice-exceptional students is important for all educators and psychologists; however, for school psychologists, improved understanding of twice-exceptionality will enhance their unique role in assessing twice-exceptional students and in recommending appropriate interventions in schools. In this article, the authors address…

Recent changes in legislation (IDEA) have implications for the changing role of the school psychologist, specifically in the evaluation of students with learning disabilities. There is a need to examine the attitudes and practices of school psychologists regarding specific learning disability identification as there is little consistency in how…

This study surveyed a national sample of school psychologists with respect to the identification of reading disabilities (RD). It covers school psychologists' opinions regarding perceived benefits of the use of cognitive assessment in RD identification, both within and outside of an IQ-achievement discrepancy model. The survey also solicited…

A concussion is a serious injury--a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI)--that induces physiological disruption of brain function. A concussion is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body. The sudden movement causes stretching and tearing of brain cells; cells become damaged and chemical changes occur within the brain. Concussions can lead…

English language learners (ELLs) who are in the process of acquiring English as a second language for academic purposes, are often misidentified as having Language Learning Disabilities (LLDs). Policies regarding the assessment of ELLs have undergone many changes through the years, such as the introduction of a Response to Intervention (RTI)…

There is great controversy in the field of learning disabilities (LD) regarding the establishment of criteria for LD identification. The traditional approach to LD identification is to use the IQ-discrepancy. Lyon and colleagues (2001) point out the numerous problems with such an approach, including faulty assumptions about the adequacy of an IQ…

The revised "Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Education Act" (2004) and subsequent Federal Regulations promote the use of alternative process of identifying students with specific learning disabilities based on how well a student responds to researched-based interventions. As these strategies are implemented, school…