SLD Guidelines

Process For Determining A Specific Learning Disabilities

In 2008, the State of Michigan adopted new rules and language which defined the criteria for determining specific learning disability. Specific learning disability is defined as a disorder in one more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written that may manifest itself in the 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. Specific learning disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of cognitive impairment, emotional impairment, of autism spectrum disorder or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

El Hajj Malik El Shabazz is committed to providing a quality education for all students and as a member of the Ingham Intermediate School District will use the following procedures to determine a Specific Learning Disability:

• Evaluation Team will primary use the data from a Response to Intervention Model (Rti) process.
• In the event that Rti practices are not fully implemented in the area of concern or grade level, the evaluation team may use assessment results to determine whether a child exhibits an academic pattern of strengths and weaknesses in performance achievement, or both, relative to age, state approved grade level standards, or intellectual development.
• The use of a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability may not be used solely to determine eligibility. Data from standardized ability and achievement may be incorporated with other assessment data to demonstrate a pattern of strengths and weaknesses.