Assessment of learning disabilities occurs within the context of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS); a comprehensive prevention framework providing academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports for all students. The delivery of robust, increasingly intense, evidence-based interventions within an MTSS for students not acquiring basic academic skills, while closely monitoring student instructional response is an essential component in identification of Specific Learning Disability (SLD). Response to Intervention (RTI) can be thought of as the scientific method applied to educational problems. Instructional matching at core (all students; Tier 1), the classroom level (classwide intervention; Tier 1.5), groups of students with a similar category of need (Tier 2), and individual students with the most intensive needs (Tier 3), and matching skill need to stage of learning (acquisition, fluency building, generalization / adaptation) are at the heart of MTSS and assessing RTI. A critical component of MTSS, RTI is an integrated system of data collection, interpretation, and actions (Burns, et al., 2012).
The statutory regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 allow for the use of RTI Methodology as part of a comprehensive evaluation to determine eligibility and need for special education services under the disability category of Specific Learning Disability. Criteria multi-disciplinary evaluation (MDE) teams must consider include multiple inclusionary and exclusionary criteria:
- Inclusionary criteria: Failure to achieve adequately for the child’s age or approved grade-level standards in one of more of the following areas: oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skill, reading fluency skills, reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, and/or mathematics problem solving
- Inclusionary criteria: Lack of sufficient progress to meet grade or age-level expectations when using a process based upon the child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention (i.e., RTI methodology). Note* ability-achievement discrepancy is still allowable under IDEA and Chapter 14 Pennsylvania regulations governing special education.
- Exclusionary criteria: MDE teams must rule out other possible disabilities including visual, hearing, motor, intellectual, or an emotional disturbance. Additionally, cultural factors, environmental disadvantage, or limited English proficiency must be considered.
- Exclusionary criteria: The final exclusionary criteria MDE teams must consider is lack of appropriate instruction. The child must have been provided with appropriate instruction provided by qualified personnel whereas repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals were conducted.
Assessment of Reading Difficulties Within Multi-Tiered Systems of Support(MTSS)