The Data Behind the Diagnosis: What Evidence Is Required for SLD Identification
- Accessible Education
- Oct 16
- 5 min read
This is Part 3 of a 5-part series on Specific Learning Disability identification under IDEA and Texas law.
In Parts 1 and 2, we covered what an SLD is and the two methods schools can use for identification (RTI and PSW). Now, let's get practical:
What specific data and documentation must schools collect to identify a Specific Learning Disability?
The answer: a lot more than just test scores. SLD identification requires a comprehensive collection of evidence to support three critical determinations: inadequate achievement, insufficient progress (or a pattern of strengths/weaknesses), and the exclusion of other factors.
Category 1: Data Showing Inadequate Achievement
First, the evaluation team must document that your child doesn't achieve adequately for their age or grade-level standards in one or more of the eight academic areas (oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skill, reading fluency, reading comprehension, math calculation, or math problem-solving).
In Texas, this requires performance data from multiple measures:
In-class tests
Regular classroom assessments
Unit tests
Quizzes on grade-level curriculum
Grade averages over time
Six-week grades
Semester grades
Showing a pattern of struggle, not just one bad report card
Progress monitoring measures
Repeated assessments showing growth rates
Curriculum-based measurements
Reading fluency probes
Math fact assessments
Norm- or criterion-referenced tests
Standardized achievement tests
Tests comparing your child to same-age peers or specific learning standards
Statewide assessments
STAAR scores (in Texas)
Results showing performance below grade level
Response to intervention data
How your child responded to targeted interventions
Growth charts showing rate of improvement (or lack thereof)
Key point: One bad test score isn't enough. Schools need to show a pattern of inadequate achievement across multiple types of measures.
Category 2: Data to Rule Out Inadequate Instruction
Here's a critical requirement that protects children: Schools must demonstrate that your child's struggles aren't simply due to inadequate instruction.
The evaluation team must consider:
Instructional Data
Documentation showing that your child received:
Appropriate instruction in reading and/or math
Instruction in general education settings (not just special education)
Instruction delivered by qualified personnel
This documentation should be from before or during the referral process
Progress Monitoring Data Shared With Parents
Data-based documentation of repeated assessments at reasonable intervals
This means a formal evaluation of student progress during instruction
Examples include:
Intervention progress monitoring results and reports
In-class tests on grade-level curriculum
Other regularly administered assessments
Critical requirement: This documentation must have been provided to parents
Why this matters: If a child struggles because they've received ineffective teaching, experienced frequent teacher turnover, or had excessive absences, that's not an SLD; that's a lack of appropriate instruction. The data must show that your child received quality teaching but still struggled.
Category 3: Model-Specific Data Requirements
The data you'll see depends on which identification method the school uses:
If Using the RTI Model:
The documentation must include:
Statement of instructional strategies used
Specific programs or interventions implemented
How often and for how long
Who delivered the instruction
Student-centered data collected
Progress monitoring graphs showing your child's response
Comparison to expected growth rates
Demonstration that your child didn't make sufficient progress despite intervention
Parent notification documentation
Proof that parents were notified about:
What performance data would be collected
What general education services were provided
Strategies for increasing the child's learning rate
The parents' right to request a full evaluation
If Using the PSW Model:
The documentation must include:
Comprehensive assessment results
Cognitive processing assessments
Achievement testing across multiple domains
Evidence of the pattern of strengths and weaknesses
Pattern analysis
Clear documentation of where your child excels
Clear documentation of significant weaknesses
Explanation of how this pattern is relevant to SLD identification
Comparison to age, grade-level standards, or intellectual development
Category 4: General Evaluation Requirements
Regardless of which model is used, all SLD evaluations must include:
Observation Data
Documentation of your child's behavior in the learning environment
Observations in the general classroom setting
Notes on how behavior relates to academic functioning
Can be done before referral or after parental consent
Exclusionary Factors Determination
Detailed documentation about whether other factors (vision, hearing, motor disabilities, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, cultural factors, economic disadvantage, or limited English proficiency) are the primary cause
We'll cover this more in Part 4
Medical Findings
Any educationally relevant medical information
Medical diagnoses that might impact learning
Assessment Variety
Multiple assessment tools and strategies
Assessment in all areas of suspected disability
Not relying on a single test or score
Special Requirements When Dyslexia Is Suspected (Texas)
Texas law requires significantly more comprehensive data when dyslexia or dysgraphia is suspected:
Academic Skills Assessment Must Include:
Letter knowledge (name and sound)
Reading words in isolation
Decoding unfamiliar words accurately
Reading fluency (rate, accuracy, and prosody)
Reading comprehension
Spelling
Cognitive Processes Assessment Must Include:
Phonological/phonemic awareness
Rapid naming of symbols or objects
Additional Data Sources:
Universal screening results (required in K-1 in Texas)
Reading instrument results (K-2 and 7th grade as applicable)
Vocabulary assessment
Listening comprehension
Written expression and handwriting evaluation
Phonological memory and verbal working memory
For Emergent Bilingual Students:
TELPAS scores (listening, speaking, reading, writing)
Instructional interventions addressing language needs
Previous schooling information
Language program type
Contextual Information:
Early literacy experiences
Environmental factors
Socioeconomic status
Most important for dyslexia: The determination is based on a preponderance of evidence, both informal and formal data, showing that your child's reading and spelling difficulties are unexpected in relation to their other abilities and despite effective instruction.
What This Means for You as a Parent
Understanding these data requirements helps you:
Request specific data if the school hasn't collected it
Provide relevant information from home or previous schools
Understand why the process takes time; comprehensive data collection can't be rushed
Ask questions if you see gaps in the documentation
Recognize red flags. If a decision is based on only one or two test scores, that's not comprehensive enough
The Bottom Line
SLD identification isn't about one test score or one teacher's opinion. It's about collecting comprehensive, varied data that paints a complete picture of your child's learning profile, instructional history, and response to intervention.
What's Next?
We've covered what data schools must collect. But what about the flip side? What factors would actually disqualify a child from being identified with an SLD?
In Part 4 of this series, we'll explore exclusionary factors, determinant factors, and the important nuance of when conditions can coexist, because the presence of another condition doesn't automatically rule out an SLD.
Having comprehensive data is the foundation of accurate SLD identification. Don't hesitate to ask your evaluation team what data they're collecting and why.
Need more hands-on support? Schedule a free consultation here.
