/ Learning Services
Mailing Address: PO Box 520, Prince Rupert BC V8J 3R7
Location: 825 Conrad Street
Phone: (250) 624-0925Fax: (250) 624-6572

MINISTRY GUIDELINES FOR

Students with Learning Disabilities

Student based funding allocation,

1701 code Q

(This Ministry Guidelines form must be completed before the Learning Services office will confirm a Special Education designation.)

Student______

Grade______

Teacher______

School______

This form completed by______; ______

______; ______

______; ______

Diagnosis or Assessment Documentation ______

Date: ______

School Principal/Vice-Principal ______

Return to District Principal Learning Services

For office use only

Confirm______Reject______

______

District Principal Learning ServicesDate

Comments:______

LearningDisabilities
Student base fundingallocation1701 CodeQ
This checklist should only be used in conjunction with Section E.3of SpecialEducationService:AManualofPoliciesProceduresandGuidelines(Nov.2010) / Student’sName

PEN
Date
To be eligible the following must bemet / There must be documentation to support that thestudent has been appropriately assessed and identified bythe school district or independent school authority asmeeting the criteria of the special educationcategory.
assessment documentation shows persistent difficulties inthe acquisition of pre-academic and/or academic skills suchas recognition of letters and numbers in the early primary yearsor acquisition of reading, written language, and/or numeracy, inspite of appropriate opportunities to learn;and
assessment documentation shows average to aboveaverage cognitive ability;and
assessment documentation shows weaknesses incognitive processing that contribute to persistent difficulties withlearning / One or more academic difficulties relative toexpected ability, and identified indocumentation:
Word Recognition, and/or
Reading Comprehension, and/or
Spelling,and/or
Written expression,and/or
Mathematical computations,and/or
Problem Solving
Various achievement instruments can be usedto documentdifficulty.
There is documented evidencethat…
Average or above ability, demonstrated either by acognitive assessment or by average or better performance on anorm referenced test of achievement that measures the student’sability to reason, such as mathematical problem-solving,reading comprehension, written expression and listeningcomprehension. Average ability is demonstrated by scores at or aboveone standard deviation below thenorm.
Significant weakness exists in one or more of thecognitive processes.
Assessments of cognitive processes must utilizenorm-referenced instruments; if other forms of assessment are used, they mustbe accompanied by a clear rationale for why the alternateassessment is appropriate in identifying the student’s processingdisorder.
Assessment documents indicate that the difficultiesbeing experienced are not primarily* due to sensory deficits, lackof opportunity to learn, cultural or linguistic differences,or social/emotional/physical healthissues.
* Learning disabilities may coexist with other disorders such as behaviouralor emotional disorders, sensory impairments, or other medicalconditions. / Measures used as evidence of cognitivefunctioning:
Full scale score, or other norm referencedestimate of ability with rationale for not using full scaleIQ.
Verbal IQ or Performance IQscore
Test of non-verbal cognitive abilityscore
Norm-reference test(s) of academic achievementin listening comprehension, readingcomprehension, mathematics problem solving, or writtenexpression.
Significant weakness in one or morecognitive processes, relative to overallfunctioning:
Perception
Memory
Attention
Languageprocessing
Visual-spatialprocessing
Planning and decisionmaking
Phonologicalprocessing
Processingspeed
Auditoryprocessing
Examples of evidence of other primary sourcesof difficulty addressed in assessmentdocumentation (asappropriate):
Culture and language differences of thehome
Consistency of schooling andattendance
Vision and hearing screeningresults
Medical factors regardingsocial/emotional/physical health
Other
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Learning Disabilities(cont’d)
Student base fundingallocation1701 CodeQ
This checklist should only be used in conjunction with Section E.3of Special Education Service: A Manual of Policies ProceduresandGuidelines (Nov.2010) / Student’sName

PEN
Date
There is documented evidencethat…(cont’d)
The assessment integrates information from a number ofsources (two ormore). / Examples ofdocumentation:
Information from family abouthealth social/emotional status anddevelopmental history
Information from professionals abouthealth social/emotional status anddevelopmental history
Information from classroom teacher(s)about classroomperformance
Information from learningassistance/resource teacher about studentperformance
Information from other professionalsabout strengths and weaknesses
Relevant academichistory
Other
There is documented evidence that…
A current IEP is in place, dated after September 30,previous schoolyear.
The IEP has individualized goals and measurable objectives,with adaptations and or modifications where appropriate,and strategies to meet thesegoals.
The goals correspond to the category in which the studentis identified.
The student is receiving special education services to addressthe needs identified in the assessment documentation.These services are outlined in the IEP and relate to the identifiedneeds of thestudent.
The student is being offered learning activities in accordancewith the IEP.
The IEP outlines methods for measuring progress in relationto the IEPgoals.
A parent was offered the opportunity to be consultedabout preparation of theIEP.
Reduction in class size is not by itself a sufficientservice. / Examples ofstrategies:
Intense, direct instruction
Skill-buildinginstruction
Instruction in learning andcompensatory strategies
Skill building in selfadvocacy
Adaptations to instruction andassessment
Adaptations to learning resources,technology
Social skills training,etc.