• Lakewood Public Schools
    Determination of a Specific Learning Disability

    This notice is designed to comply with the May 14, 2010 State of Michigan requirement that each local school district publish its procedure for determining whether a student has a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). A SLD is defined in law as a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia that adversely affects a student’s educational performance. A SLD does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or
    motor disabilities; mental retardation; emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

    The district will utilize a pattern of strengths and weaknesses model for the determination of a Specific Learning Disability in the areas of oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skill, reading fluency skills, reading comprehension, mathematics calculation, and mathematics problem solving. The determination of a SLD will be based upon multiple sources of information including:

    • Parent input
    • Classroom teacher input
    • Individually administered tests of academic achievement and intellectual development
    • Classroom observation(s)
    • A review of past educational records
    • Student performance on State-approved grade-level standards, and
    • Other sources of information required by law or deemed pertinent by the evaluation team

    A multidisciplinary evaluation team (MET) consisting of a certified teacher, a certified school psychologist, and possibly other members determined to be critical to the process, will prepare a written report documenting its analysis of the data gathered and its recommendation regarding SLD certification. That recommendation shall be based on whether the student exhibits a pattern of strengths and weaknesses. “Strength”, “weakness”, and “pattern of strengths and weaknesses.”  In making a determination as to whether a student has or continues to have a Specific Learning Disability, Lakewood Public Schools will also comply with all applicable federal regulations and State rules, including those addressing comprehensive evaluations, determination of the existence of a Specific Learning Disability, observation of academic performance and behavior in the areas of difficulty, specific documentation for SLD
    eligibility determination, and reevaluation requirements.