Michelle Wu: “Today, students with learning disabilities represent half of all students served under IDEA. During the 1990s, the…”

“Today, students with learning disabilities represent half of all students served under IDEA. During the 1990s, the number of students in this category substantially increased by 34%. The President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education asserts that 80% of these students are identified as learning disabled because they have not learned how to read. The report further asserts that up to 40% of learning disabled students are in special education because they were never taught how to read. These children do not need special education, they need an education. The problem is that children are being missidentified and over-identified as learning disabled. Moreover, a recent National Research Council report indicates that minority students are over-represented in some special education categories, most notably mental retardation and emotional disturbance. The role of teacher referral is critical. Unfortunately, many general education teachers are unprepared to identify students who may actually be at risk for a learning disability.”