11 Advocacy Groups Release Joint Principles to Guide the Evaluation of Students Suspected of Having Specific Learning Disabilities.

In collaboration with 10 partners, Decoding Dyslexia announces the release of eight principles that lay the groundwork for future best practice documents that focus specifically on SLD (dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia).  The Principles are formally called: Eligibility for Special Education Under a Specific Learning Disability Classification. 

The principles cover topics such as instruction and intervention, collaboration among team members, parent and family engagement, the use of screening, response to intervention, data based decision making and other important factors involved in pre-referral prevention and referral/evaluation and eligibility decisions for special education services for SLDs like dyslexia.

Click here to read “Eligibility for Special Education Under a Specific Learning Disability Classification.”
It is important to note that this is a consensus document.  The Principles are not 100% aligned to DDMA's views on usage of terms, the specific value of cognitive evaluations, and robust parent engagement.  DD partners will carefully attend to the work being done and in guidance and advocacy to continue to inform and advocate.

​However, the benefits of participating in the working group afford dyslexia advocates the opportunity to develop best practice documents as well as work alongside national groups who, until recently, did not "say dyslexia".  Working group members hope to continue to build relationships and understanding around the needs of the dyslexia community.

The next steps include development and release of several Best Practice documents. In the coming months, these organizations will recommend specific best practices for eligibility processes, cognitive evaluations, response to intervention/MTSS (done well and including dyslexia), parent engagement & a dyslexia guidance.

Future additions will be found here: www.ncld.org/SLDeligibility. 
General advocacy information for learning disability  can be found  here: https://www.ncld.org/action-center
Thanks to Decoding Dyslexia Maryland who originally published this article in their email Newsletter..