A Review of States' Criteria and Procedures for Identifying Children with Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether (a) states have altered their definitions and/or eligibility criteria for learning disabilities (LD) since the last review; (b) states have specified-IQ cutoffs below which a child would not be eligible for LD services; (c) the types of methods states use to quantify an ability/achievement discrepancy vary; and (d) an increase in the number of children identified as LD is related to the method or criterion used to quantify an ability/achievement discrepancy. States' guidelines and/or information obtained from state directors of special education were analyzed for all states and the District of Columbia. Results of the review revealed that 40% of states had revised their guidelines between 1988 and 1990; 76% of the states specified a method for determining an ability/achievement discrepancy and the method recommended most frequently was the standard score comparison method. No significant differences were obtained between type of discrepancy method employed by a state and its yearly increase in LD. However, a significant relationship existed between magnitude of a state's ability/achievement criterion and its yearly increase in LD from 1987-88 to 1988-89. The review also revealed an increase in the number of states that specified an IQ cutoff below which a student would not qualify for LD services.