Classifying Children as LD: An Analysis of Current Practice in an Urban Setting

Abstract

A large number of states have continued to include a discrepancy criterion in their regulations for determining a child's learning disability status even though researchers have raised questions regarding the appropriateness of discrepancy formulas and the ability of clinicians to apply such formulas to quantitative data. Given the problems raised with the discrepancy model approach, one must question to what extent clinicians are, in fact, making decisions based upon this approach. This study sought to answer this question using data from 105 case files of predominantly African American children who had been classified as LD in a large, inner-city public school district and who had been receiving special education services for at least three years. Data are evaluated at both initial and triennial evaluations. Implications of results are discussed as are suggestions for future research.