SLD determination
SLD determination is the process schools use to confirm that a student does or does not have a specific
learning disability, defined by law as
...a disorder in 1 or more of the basic psychological processes
involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in
the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.
IDEA 2004, Sec. 602
The process is important because its results may determine the type of services available to help
students improve their academic achievement. The results also may determine when these services are available.
A number of factors influence the SLD determination process and its outcome. The
Individuals with
Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) outlines the legal underpinnings for
the process. Regulations related to the act further specify how schools should approach the process.
State and local policies define individual school-level practices. These many factors may result in
different definitions of LD from school to school and state to state, which in turn affects how
schools determine whether a student has a learning disability and which students qualify for services.
Although ultimately, appropriate services and improved learning for all students are the goals,
accurate identification of students with SLD is important because of the civil rights afforded to
people with disabilities and because appropriate service delivery and its subsequent positive outcomes
cannot be ensured without accurate identification.
SLD determination is the process schools use to confirm that a student does or does not have a specific
learning disability, defined by law as
...a disorder in 1 or more of the basic psychological processes
involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in
the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.
IDEA 2004, Sec. 602
The process is important because its results may determine the type of services available to help
students improve their academic achievement. The results also may determine when these services are available.
A number of factors influence the SLD determination process and its outcome. The
Individuals with
Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) outlines the legal underpinnings for
the process. Regulations related to the act further specify how schools should approach the process.
State and local policies define individual school-level practices. These many factors may result in
different definitions of LD from school to school and state to state, which in turn affects how
schools determine whether a student has a learning disability and which students qualify for services.
Although ultimately, appropriate services and improved learning for all students are the goals,
accurate identification of students with SLD is important because of the civil rights afforded to
people with disabilities and because appropriate service delivery and its subsequent positive outcomes
cannot be ensured without accurate identification.
SLD determination is the process schools use to confirm that a student does or does not have a specific
learning disability, defined by law as
...a disorder in 1 or more of the basic psychological processes
involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in
the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.
IDEA 2004, Sec. 602
The process is important because its results may determine the type of services available to help
students improve their academic achievement. The results also may determine when these services are available.
A number of factors influence the SLD determination process and its outcome. The
Individuals with
Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) outlines the legal underpinnings for
the process. Regulations related to the act further specify how schools should approach the process.
State and local policies define individual school-level practices. These many factors may result in
different definitions of LD from school to school and state to state, which in turn affects how
schools determine whether a student has a learning disability and which students qualify for services.
Although ultimately, appropriate services and improved learning for all students are the goals,
accurate identification of students with SLD is important because of the civil rights afforded to
people with disabilities and because appropriate service delivery and its subsequent positive outcomes
cannot be ensured without accurate identification.
SLD identification overview: General information and tools to get started (pdf)