About Childhood SLD

Here are some suggestions:

Look at the possible indicators or common signs of SLD. Refer to the About SLD section above entitled: What are common signs of SLD?

Talk to your child’s teachers and get their opinion/s. Do they see any learning problems? Do your and their observations agree?

If you see or feel there are concrete indicators of potential learning problem/s request a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation from your child’s school as soon as possible. For additional information please refer to the answer to the next question: How do I request an evaluation?

A child may be referred for the first evaluation in several ways:

You may ask your school to evaluate your child for special education at any time. This can be done by sending a letter to the principal of your child’s school or by asking a school professional employee. You will find a sample letter that you can use below. Keep a copy of all your correspondence.

A “Permission to Evaluate-Evaluation Request” form will be sent to you within 10 calendar days after the receipt of your request.

The school may also contact you and must ask permission to have your child evaluated using a “Permission to Evaluate-Consent” form. You must consent in writing to your child’s evaluation. School officials cannot proceed without your written permission. If permission is not received and the school continues to find that an evaluation is necessary, they may ask for a due process hearing:

The evaluation process gathers the information that will be used to determine if your child needs special education and, if so, the types of programs and services needed. Your child may be evaluated by a school psychologist. Other evaluations may include tests by a hearing specialist for a child with a hearing problem, or an evaluation from a doctor for a child with a health concern. The evaluation must also include input from a therapist if certain related services, such as speech or occupational therapy, may be needed.

The entire evaluation process must be completed within 60 calendar days (not including summer vacation) from the date you give permission by signing the “Consent to Evaluate” form given to you by your school district. A copy of the ER must be given to you and a summary of the report will be communicated to you at least 10 school days before the IEP meeting. A parent and/or guardian may waive this 10-day provision in writing.

You may also get independent evaluations and reports from professionals outside of the school system and send them to your child’s school. The results of these outside evaluations will be considered in determining if your child has a disability and needs special education.

The school district will provide you with information about where an independent evaluation can be obtained. If the school district refuses, they must initiate a special education due process hearing.

If you wish for the school district to pay for an independent educational evaluation, you must make that request in writing prior to having the evaluation conducted. Refer to the sample letter below.

Under Pennsylvania and federal law, a child with a disability has a right to special education and related services that are provided:

At public expense (no cost to you).
Under public supervision and direction.
Without charge to preschool (ages 3-5), elementary, or secondary school students.
In the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). This means that children with disabilities are educated to the maximum extent appropriate with children who are not disabled.
In conformity with an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This means that students with disabilities who need special education must receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).

Your child may be eligible for special education if your child:

• Has a specific learning disability, a hearing impairment, a speech or language impairment, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, an orthopedic impairment, deafness, a visual impairment including blindness, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairment, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities and
• Needs special education as determined by an evaluation team.

Your child must meet both qualifications in order to be eligible for special education. In Pennsylvania, all children eligible for special education have the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE).

All parents are guaranteed the right to see their child’s public school records within 45 calendar days after asking for them, before any meeting regarding an IEP, or before a due process hearing. You may be charged for the copying of these records. Parents are also guaranteed the right to ask for and receive an explanation of any information in the records.

The law guarantees that your child’s school records be kept confidential. Someone has an educational interest in your child if that person teaches your child or otherwise is responsible for some aspect of your child’s education. Records cannot be given to anyone outside the school system without your permission unless there is a legal reason for doing so. Your district must have a procedure for you to follow to correct the records that you feel are wrong or misleading.

Source: Pennsylvania Parent Guide to Special Education for School Age Children - July 2008 Chapter 14 Regulations. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education; Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network.

http://parent.pattan.net/files/parent/SchAgeParentGuide.pdf

Click on the words Read More below for a list of resources.

Federal Definition and Criteria for Specific Learning Disabilities is as follows:

34 CFR 300.7 Children with disabilities.

(c) Definitions of disability terms. The terms used in this definition are defined as follows:
(10) Specific learning disability is defined as follows:
(i) General. The term means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
(ii) Disorders not included. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

There are two laws. The federal law is called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Pennsylvania School Code, Chapter 14.

The website LD Online is an excellent source of information on teaching a child with SLD for both parents and teachers.

The website address: http://www.ldonline.org