Bobby entered 2nd grade as a fun-loving, curious child. By the end of that academic year his self-esteem had plummeted, his interest in school had waned, he was exhibiting negative behaviors and he complained about going to school every day. His parents were perplexed. What could have happened in those short months?

When Bobby entered kindergarten, he was an eager student. His teacher did express some concerns about his difficulty learning letters and vowels. Bobby’s parents had felt for a long time that he did not pick things up as quickly as his siblings, but everyone, his pediatrician, early childhood teachers and now his kindergarten teacher indicated that all was well, and he would “catch up” in his own time. Although Bobby had a wonderful kindergarten year, his difficulties became ever more apparent as he completed 1st grade. By 2nd grade, it was readily apparent that Bobby was not progressing as expected. The gap was growing as the academic demands made upon him increased. Another year of questions and concerns, numerous meetings with his teachers, accommodations and tutoring led nowhere.

Almost immediately upon entering 3rd grade, Bobby’s parents heard about and contacted LDACC. They were frustrated and concerned and had no idea what steps they might take to find out why Bobby wasn’t learning and what to do about it.

During the initial phone conversation LDACC recommended that Bobby’s parents request a meeting with the school principal and Bobby’s teachers to learn as much as possible about his current performance. During that meeting his teachers reported that Bobby was very quiet, polite and friendly and didn’t bring a lot of attention to himself. He was a very inconsistent student, one day he understood the material, the next, he acted as if he had never seen it. Further, they reported that he wasn’t reading fluently, he had trouble sounding out words and his spelling was very poor. The meeting led to a decision to evaluate for a specific learning disability.

Since time was critical, the team moved quickly to schedule and complete the multifactored evaluation (MFE). As soon as all of the information had been collected and the tests were concluded, the team* convened to discuss the results. The school psychologist explained all of the aspects of the testing and made sure that Bobby’s parents understood the various components. An LDACC representative helped to assure their understanding. The school was anxious to provide Bobby with what he needed to be successful, so together they began writing a draft IEP. Very soon after, Bobby was receiving direct instruction in the areas in which he was having difficulty. Several months later, Bobby’s parents could see a big change in their son. The identification and instruction were making a difference!

Jennifer was failing in spite of average ability. Testing had revealed a deficit in perceptual organization and reasoning. Jennifer could gather information but found it impossible to take that information and create a paragraph, a report, or complete essay test questions. This disorder also impacted Jennifer’s ability to meet schedules or plan with classmates.

LDACC’s advocate was able to explain how this disorder is a Specific Learning Disability and assist in getting Jennifer identified and appropriate services secured through an Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Writing strategies including webbing and computer software allowed her to meet academic requirements. Time management strategies and personal planning tools gave her the opportunity to be successful in non-academic areas.

Jennifer’s dream to go to college will now be possible.