Identifying Disabilities

Often times teachers are the first to notice that a learning disability may be present in a student.  They may notice that a student is falling behind in a subject or that certain behavioral traits are being displayed.  When this occurs, the teacher can make a referral so that the student is tested to determine if special services are needed to assist the child and ensure they are getting the best education available to them.

Here is what a few professionals in the teaching field had to say about the referral process for special needs individuals.

Mr. Michael Griffin is a Mild-Moderate Intervention Specialist and the Head of the Special Education Department at Nordonia High School.  He has been teaching there for 6 years.  Prior to that, he worked as an MMIS at an elementary school with cross-categorical students in 2nd and 3rd grade.  He has been teaching for 9 years.

How is a student identified for special education referral?

There are a few ways students can be referred for testing in order to determine whether or not a student has a learning disability.  First, parents can request an evaluation from the school psychologist.  When this happens, the school can refuse to evaluate (they must fill out a PR-01) or go through with the evaluation.  Another option is a teacher can refer a student.  This is done through Child Find Law where a student must be evaluated if the school suspects a disability.  If it is determined that a student needs to be evaluated for a disability, the school must obtain consent from his/her parents.

With all this being said, just because a referral is completed, doesn’t mean evaluation or identification takes place.  Rather, the district should use the RTI (Response to Intervention) process.  In this process, individual interventions are put in place to see if small adjustments within the classroom can assist students in demonstrating success

Who takes responsibility for the progress of the child before and after the referral?

Before referral several things happen.  It is the teacher’s responsibility to monitor progress, however, once a student is referred he/she is placed in the Response to Intervention process.

Tier 1:  The RTI team decides upon interventions that can be completed in the classroom.  These may include preferential seating, extended time, clarified directions, visual aids used in the classroom, etc.  The teacher will keep track of student progress as these are implemented.

If no progress is made….

Tier 2: The RTI will determine whether or not more support needs to be put in place.  These interventions might include additional support or instruction during or after class.  Differentiated instruction (activities presented in different ways to meet individual learning needs), academic interventions, etc.  The general education classroom would monitor student progress again. 

If no progress is made….

Tier 3:  If the RTI team determines the student needs even more support, then we would look at special education supports for that student, and an Evaluation Team Report might be completed to determine eligibility.  Once this happens, the Intervention Specialist (Special Education Teacher) is responsible for monitoring progress if it gets to this.

What is the school administration's directive for special education?

Our principal is an advocate of Intervention periods for students with special needs.  During an Intervention period, the Intervention Specialist will design specialized instruction to meet the individual learning needs of the students in the classroom.   Rather than work on the curriculum and content, teachers will work on mastering the goal outlined in each student’s IEP in hopes of building skills in areas where students are deficient.  The ultimate goal is to provide the student with the skills necessary to cope with his or her disability in the general education classroom environment.

Our principal does not necessarily believe in co-teaching because the high school teachers are masters of the content.  Therefore, Intervention Specialists also support instruction in the general education classroom, providing accommodations and modifications when necessary, so students can be successful.

What provisions are made for students identified for special education?

Students receive specially designed instruction and participate in interventions that will help build skills in specified areas.  These can include reading comprehension, reading fluency, basic reading skills, math calculation, math problem solving written express, behavior, etc.

In addition, accommodations and modifications might be outlined to help students be successful.  For example, a student with a significant reading disability might receive a Reader for all tests and quizzes (someone reads the student his or her tests).

If necessary, the student can qualify for related services that include speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or special transportation.

Lastly, the student may be excused from the consequences of not passing any statewide graduation tests.

What is the level of parent involvement in referral process and special education?

The parent is a key component, but not always involved.  Often times, parents are asked to fill out questionnaires, academic and behavior rating scales, transition surveys, and develop future plans for their child.  THE PARENT SHOULD BE A KEY STAKEHOLDER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY IEP

How do you identify a student for special education?

I think I pretty much answered this, but once it is determined that the child needs to be evaluated, a comprehensive battery of tests is given to determine whether or not the student has a learning disability, or some other factor that contributes to his or her inability to access the general education curriculum without support (these include other health impairment, traumatic brain injury, deaf, blind, orthopedic impairment, developmentally disabled, cognitively disabled, or emotional disturbance).  Our rule of thumb is that if a student is below the 10%ile for any given academic, he or she can qualify for an Individualized Education Plan

What are the signs of a struggling student?

These come in many forms:

Unfocused or inattentiveness in the classroom, calling or acting out in the classroom, consistent performance below what is expected for same age peers, low test scores, low achievement scores on standardized testing, etc

Are there alternate methods of instruction tried out before referring the student for special education? If yes, what are they?

Absolutely, this was all explained in the RTI process above.  The goal is always to do everything necessary to keep kids off IEPs.  If supports and accommodations can be put in place to assist a child in being successful without specially designing instruction for that student, it is the best case scenario.

Mrs. Brittany Laino is an Intervention Specialist at Barberton Middle School.  She has been a teacher for 8 years.

How is a student identified for special education referral?

1st teachers notice- academic progress, behavior, test scores, ability to comprehend material


2nd- try various interventions and document students response to interventions (small group, 1 on 1, peer tutoring, behavior plan, modified assignments, etc)


3rd- coordinate with school counselor and school psychologist to get an IAT meeting set up with parent, counselor, school psychologist, regular education teachers and an intervention specialist



4th- meeting is held, teachers fill out paperwork noting students progress & interventions tried, everyone signs off for student to be tested



5th- within a 60 day window, the school psychologist tests areas of strength & weakness identified, test scores indicate if student qualifies for services via 504, IEP



Who takes responsibility for the progress of the child before and after the referral?

Before = all the regular education teacher’s responsibility - they have to be the ones to get the ball rolling.  Once an IAT meeting is held and everyone signs off then it is on the school psychologist, but classroom teachers still must continue accommodations, modification and intervention strategies. 

After testing = school psychologist or intervention specialist writes an Initial IEP, if it is a 504 then the school psychologist & school counselor write the 504.  It is the district Special Education coordinator’s job to put that student on an intervention specialist (IS) caseload and the school counselor’s responsibility to change the student’s schedule.  If a 504 student is serviced by regular education teachers, then it is the school counselor’s job to make sure the plan is happening & teachers have a copy of it.



What provisions are made for students identified for special education?

This depends on student’s identified disability coding (OHI- other health impairment, CD-cognitive disability, ED-emotionally disturbed, SLD- specific learning disability, etc), it also depends on what areas students qualify in (math calculation, math reasoning, reading ability, writing, behavior, etc).  Test scores also determine their placement inclusion - with regular education students (part or all day), self contained classes with only other special education students with cognitive disabilities or other emotionally disturbed students, or MH (mentally handicapped) students where life and adaptive skills are taught.  Additionally, students receive modified tests/quizzes/projects, accommodations such as testing in small group, tests/quizzes read aloud, extended time to complete tasks, and extra breaks.



What is the level of parent involvement in referral process and special education?

Parents are/can be involved in IAT meetings, annual IEP or 504 meetings.  They can meet at any time to amend the IEP or 504.  They receive progress reports towards goals and benchmarks every 4.5 weeks.  I send some parents weekly emails.  I contact them as needed.  Sadly in my 7 years in my district I average 40-60% attendance rate for the annual IEP meetings. 



Our overall goal is for students to be successful in their least restrictive environment.


Mrs. Sandy Boarman is a sixth grade math and social studies teacher at Copley-Fairlawn Middle School.  She has been a teacher for 22 years.

How do you identify a student for special education?

A child who we suspect of having a disability is discusses with the team of teachers, psychologist, school counselor and administrators.  Together, we decided interventions to put in place for the child.  We collect data while we do those interventions to determine whether they made a difference or not, and also if the child responded ad to what degree.  If we feel, after the interventions have been in place for about a month, that the child is not responding or improving, we put them child through a battery of tests through the school psychologist, the school nurse (for vision and hearing), and also forms are filled out by all the teachers who work with that child and by the parents.  Then the disability - if there is one - is clearly identified and an IEP is put in place.

What are the signs of a struggling student?

Inability to concentrate and focus, inability to read/comprehend material, inability to use prior knowledge in follow-up activities (lack of retention), student disinterested and withdrawn, lack of motivation, appears to be "in a fog"

Are there alternate methods of instruction tried out before referring the student for special education?  If yes, what are they?

Small group instruction, color-coding test/quiz/homework responses, reduced choices, read-aloud, pull-out from one-on-one assistance

My father was a high school English teacher for 35 year with the Akron Public School District.  Students with disabilities had already been identified by the time they reached his classroom.  He did not have to do any referrals, but he did have to comply with IEPs. Here is his reflection:

By the time students got to me most had been identified. I worked with students who had tutors, who had accommodations spelled out in the IEPs, who left the room to take tests, etc.  I even had an inclusion class where I did the teaching and a full time Special Education teacher modified the assignments based on the needs of the individuals.

When I started teaching special education was still segregated.  Special Ed student only took PE with regular classes. That all changed over my 35 years to inclusion and tutoring.  Even SBH (severe behavioral handicap) students were included.  They only students who weren't were the autistic spectrum students and Ellet had two units, about 30, of these students and each student had their own aide.