Special Education
Learning Disabilities
Claire Sabochik - Elementary, Coordinator of Special Education
720-554-4342
Mark Semmler - Secondary, Coordinator of Special Education
720-554-4341
Colorado state law defines the eligibility criteria for Specific Learning Disability. Current law uses a response to intervention model for identification. This model contains two major criteria a child must meet in order to be identified:
- The child does not achieve adequately for the child’s age or to meet state-approved grade-level standards … when provided with learning experiences and instruction appropriate for the child’s age or state-approved grade-level standards, and
- The child does not make sufficient progress to meet age or state-approved grade-level standards … when using a process based on the child’s response to scientific, research-based intervention as determined by a body of evidence
These criteria can apply to each of the eight areas of SLD identification:
- Oral Expression
- Listening Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Basic Reading Skill
- Reading Fluency Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Mathematical Computation
- Mathematical Problem Solving
These eligibility criteria guide practice in Cherry Creek Schools. Prior to evaluation to determine a Specific Learning Disability, students failing to meet state-approved grade-level expectations receive research-based instruction through the district’s Response to Intervention process. Students failing to progress in response to these interventions may be referred for eligibility determination. If identified with a Specific Learning Disability, research-based instructional practices continue, with continual monitoring to ensure effectiveness of the instruction.
Depending on the child’s need, services may be provided within a general education classroom using co-teaching models, or through targeted instruction provided outside the regular classroom. In all programming, every effort is made to expose the child to as much grade level content as is appropriate.
RESOURCES
Local Resources
Learning Disabilities Association of Colorado
55 Madison St #750, Denver, Co 80206
Telephone: 303-539-9832
Website:
www.ldaco.org
Colorado Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
2696 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite 330, Denver, CO 80222.
Telephone: (303) 757-0787.
National Resources
Division for Learning Disabilities (DLD), The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201-5704.
Telephone: (703) 620-3660.
E-mail:
cec@cec.sped.orgwww.dldcec.org
International Dyslexia Association (formerly the Orton Dyslexia Society)
Chester Building, Suite 382, 8600 LaSalle Road, Baltimore, MD 21286-2044.
Telephone: (800) 222-3123; (410) 296-0232.
E-mail:
info@interdys.orgwww.interdys.org
Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA)
4156 Library Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15234-1349.
Telephone: (888) 300-6710; (412) 341-1515.
E-mail:
info@ldaamerica.orgwww.ldanatl.org
National Center for Learning Disabilities
381 Park Avenue South, Suite 1401, New York, NY 10016.
Telephone: (888) 575-7373; (212) 545-7510.
www.ld.org
Response to Intervention Resources