ADOPTION OF WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES REGARDING DETERMINATION OF A SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY

The Operating Standards specifically permit each school district and community school to choose which process it will use to determine whether a child has a specific learning disability, and does not require the use of a severe discrepancy model.  See OAC Rule 3301-51-06-(H)(1). The Operating Standards do, however, require districts/schools to develop written procedures for the implementation of any method used to determine the existence of a specific learning disability, which, at minimum, incorporate guidelines developed by the Ohio Department of Education.  OAC Rule 3301-51-06(H)(3)(f).

Dublin City Schools has chosen to meet this obligation by using valid, reliable techniques to assess discrepancies between the child’s achievement and ability, or using a process based on the child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention, or a combination of these two methods and implementing that method in accordance with guidance set forth in Procedures and Guidance for Ohio Educational Agencies Serving Children With Disabilities at §6.7, Specific Learning Disabilities.  This process was adopted by the Dublin City School's Board of Education.