Specific Learning Disabilities
ADHD
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. Learn more.
Section 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law that prohibits recipients of federal funding from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. As it relates to public education, the law states that a school cannot place a student in segregated classes or facilities “solely by reason of her or his disability.” Students with disabilities must be given the same opportunities to participate in academic, nonacademic and extracurricular activities as their non-disabled peers. This law applies to public elementary and secondary schools, as well as other education entities. Learn more.
Twice Exceptional (2e) Learners
Maybe you know a bright child who seems lazy — a child who just never seems to work up to his or her potential. Some gifted children have learning difficulties that make it hard for them to display their true abilities. Children who are gifted in intelligence account for three to five percent of all children. Of those, however, as many as one-fifth may have some kind of learning difficulty — estimates vary greatly.
One common term for these children is GT/LD — gifted and talented/learning disabled. Another — one that encompasses a broader range of problems that affect learning – is twice exceptional, or 2e. This term refers to the fact that this group of gifted children are exceptional both because of their strengths and because of their limitations. Coupled with high intelligence, these children also may have one or more learning disabilities, attention deficit, autism spectrum disorder, emotional or behavior problems, or other types of learning challenges.
Special Education: The ARD Process
The Parent’s Guide to the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Process (Parent’s Guide) implements Texas Education Code (TEC) Section 26.0081 requiring the TEA to create a comprehensive, easily understood document which explains the individualized education program (IEP) process for a student in a special education program. Additionally, the Parent’s Guide incorporates a parents’ rights and responsibilities concerning the ARD process.
The Procedural Safeguards document addresses the specific rights and responsibilities of the parent in the special education process under the IDEA. The document, written in English and Spanish, defines common terms and explains specific rights related to activities and areas that impact a student’s educational program and services.
