by David P. Helm, Ph.D., Temecula Valley Unified School District
For most school psychologists, a significant portion of professional time is spent on assessing students and working with IEP teams to help determine whether a student is appropriately identified as having a Specific Learning Disability and possibly in need of services outside the scope of general education. One would hope and expect that school psychologists understand the law as it relates to SLD eligibility, and to be scrupulous in its interpretation and application. For a number of reasons, however, knowledgeable interpretation of the portion of the law relating to a "severe discrepancy between ability and achievement" would appear to be the exception rather than the rule.
A widespread misunderstanding has developed to the effect that a constant value of 22 points constitutes a "severe discrepancy," although when actual Title 5 criteria are
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