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Citations Learning Disabilities flow chart

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Problems reading and writing

Poor memory

Problems paying attention and easily distracted

Trouble following directions

Acting without really thinking about possible outcomes (impulsiveness)

Difficulty saying a word correctly out loud or expressing thoughts

Speaking like a younger child; using short, simple phrases; or leaving out words in sentences

Problems dealing with changes in schedule or situations

Problems understanding words or concepts

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What do tears, rhyming, storytelling, and gripping a pencil all have in common?

Don't answer. Just imagine this scene: an 18-month-old falling on the ground and bawling over a lost balloon. Now picture the same child collapsing into tears because a balloon slipped from her hand eight years later.

When does a tantrum turn from difficult to diagnosable? We all know that the meaning of the behavior changes radically with the age of the child. But when it comes to our children, it can be difficult to see. As parents, filled to the brim with worry and love for our ever-changing children, we easily get caught in a limboland of wondering: Is that normal? Should she still be doing that? Her brother never did that - maybe she's got an issue.

The common factor in the laundry list above? All can be clues that a child is struggling with a learning or behavioral problem. So says Steven E. Curtis, author of the book Understanding Your Child's Puzzling Behavior (Greenleaf, 2008) and a licensed child clinical psychologist specializing in the assessment and treatment of children with emotional, behavioral, developmental, and learning difficulties. He offered to walk me through the first signs and symptoms of a learning disability for kids in preschool through high school.

GreatSchools: What happens in middle school? What are the signs that your child might be struggling with something beyond the huge transition from elementary school?

Curtis: One major sign is not being able to handle their complicated schedules. At this point they have multiple teachers, and so this is the time when kids with LD suddenly have trouble with organization and turning in homework.

With kids with ADHD and ADD, you start hearing about social issues. The same goes for Asperger's disorder, a subtle form of autism. You may notice your child is having a lot of trouble in and outside the classroom. In elementary school you've got these nice and gentle teachers who may adapt to your child's learning style. In middle school they may not be as tolerant if your child can't work in groups, for instance, or doesn't understand nuances of socialization or pragmatic language. It may become a problem for them academically. Of course there's more social politics, and certain kids may have a harder time with that stuff. There's less emphasis on "We all need to get along" than in elementary school.

GreatSchools: Are there really kids who don't get diagnosed until middle or even high school?

Curtis: Sometimes I see parents who may have homeschooled their kids or may be in denial that something is wrong. Sometimes it's just that the child is having trouble making friends.

Sometimes it's more subtle problems that finally become apparent. The kids may not test low enough to qualify for services [earlier on], but they are now struggling with writing, organization, and completing things on time. Suddenly they're under a mountain of work they need to do.

In high school sometimes the trigger is the college application process. It's hard to get into college. Kids start losing interest in school - they get into drugs - and there's this anxiety around getting into college.

GreatSchools: Do you see kids in high school coming in for assessment?

Curtis: Definitely. We actually diagnose a lot of people during their first year of college.

Theoretically, the first year of college is harder than high school. Certain hardworking kids put all these hours in, so they make it through high school, and then college is more than they can handle. Suddenly they wonder: Do I have a problem?

Sometimes they'll learn that they are slow processors or that they didn't learn phonics. They managed to figure out content from the context, and they worked so hard - but they don't know how to sound out or they'll realize they don't have the basics of writing down notes. They'll say, "It's hard to form things with my pencil." There are these bright hard workers who can get through high school, but the reality is that they have a learning disability.

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Signs of an LD in middle and high school

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How do you know if your tween or teen has a learning disability? Learn to read the signs.

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Identifies language learners and their level of English proficiency.

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Students new to English make the same repeated mistakes.

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The multi-lingual instructor groups multi-language learners based on reading fluency and comprehension in their native language. Lessons in English are modified to meet the needs of each group's abilities.

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Assessments are designed to measure reading and comprehension in the student’s native language.

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BOY (Beginning of year Reading Test)

Reading M.A.P test

Determines:

Strengths

Weaknesses

Tier on the MTSS level

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General classroom instruction with differentiation.

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It provides targeted small-group instruction for students who need additional help and is designed to address specific skill deficits.

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One-on-one tutoring with a specialist focusing on significant skill gaps, using intensive, research-based intervention programs.

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The next step is to consider a more thorough evaluation to determine if the student may have a disability that qualifies them for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Depending on the symptoms or skill deficits, this involves screening by a pediatrician or the participation of an Exceptional Children (EC) teacher.

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Identifies and addresses academic challenges, targets support to students in three progressing tiers, and monitors student progress to make decisions informed by data.

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is responsible for locating, identifying, and evaluating students with disabilities enrolled in a school within the district.

Accessing Special Education Services

Parents of children ages three to twenty-one years may suspect delays in the development of academic, speech-language, readiness, motor, social-behavior, and self-help skills. Concerned parents can contact the students' home school or the Exceptional Children Program at 980-343-6960 or ec@cms.k12.nc.us to request an evaluation for services consideration.

Students may contact their school or the Exceptional Children Program once they reach age 18, the age of majority in the State of North Carolina, because the ability to make educational decisions and procedural safeguards transfer to the student at that time (unless a guardian has been appointed to represent the student).

Please view our Child Find FAQ at the bottom of this page for more information.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools provides special education and related services according to the federal mandates of the Individual with Disabilities Act and the regulations of the North Carolina Public School Law, Article 9.

The special education process

Eligibility for special education services

The Public Schools of North Carolina, Exceptional Children Division provides local educational agencies with detailed procedures for delivering special education services. These rules and regulations are detailed in Policies Governing Services For Children With Disabilities.

Services are provided under the following areas of eligibility: Update-Download-Relink/or convert to BB

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002. This definition is also used by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

The definition of dyslexia was added to the NC Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities in August 2017.

More information can be found at https://ec.ncpublicschools.gov/disability-resources/specific-learning-disabilities/dyslexia-and-dyscalculia/dyslexia-and-dyscalculia .

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Child Find & Accessing EC Services in CMS

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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is responsible for locating, identifying, and evaluating students with disabilities enrolled in a school within the district. Parents of children ages three to twenty-one years may suspect delays in the development of academic, speech-language, readiness, motor, social-behavior, and self-help skills.