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Subject: Response to
Intervention/Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities
Source: Pam Williams, Coordinator, Special Education Services
Intended Audience: Special Education Directors and Coordinators, Special
Education Teachers
Date: September 26, 2007
The Division of Special Education has posted two important documents
relating to the identification of children with Learning Disabilities and
the use of Response to Intervention in the identification process.
The first document, State of Missouri Guidance for Identification of
Specific Learning Disabilities, contains general information on the IDEA
statutory and regulatory requirements and effective practices in identifying
children as eligible for special education services under the category of
Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD).
The second document, State of Missouri RtI Guidelines: Appendix A, is a
document to be used by districts in developing their own written procedures
regarding the use of Response to Intervention (RtI) in the identification of
children with specific learning disabilities. The State Regulations
implementing Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) that went into effect on August 28, 2007, requires that "any agency
using a Response to Intervention model for the identification of Specific
Learning Disability, must have written procedures for implementation that,
at a minimum, incorporate guidelines developed by the SEA." All responsible
public agencies using a Response to Intervention model to identify children
as SLD must use the information in this document to develop their agency's
written procedures for the use of an RtI model. These written procedures do
not have to be submitted to DESE, but must be on file in the agency.
Agency's using an RtI model for SLD eligibility determination are advised to
develop and implement their local procedures as soon as possible and to
ensure that all staff involved in evaluation and eligibility determination
decisions are aware of the procedures and implementing them as written.
Both documents may be found at the following web address
http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/RtIpg.html.
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