Teaching · Related Services

Rule out every other explanation, with evidence.

Ten factors IDEA says cannot be the main reason a student is behind. Mark each one against the evidence you have; the summary counts what is settled and catches a factor ruled out on nothing.

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The exclusionary factors organizer

One record per evaluation, under a student code. The example student is made up.

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What you get

Teaching · Related Services$12 · included with Classroom and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
For each evaluation, every exclusionary factor marked with its evidence, the count ruled out, what may contribute and what is still missing before the eligibility meeting.
Who it is for
School psychologists, diagnosticians and evaluation team members documenting a specific learning disability determination.
Format
Browser organizer filled in as evaluation data arrive. One saved record per evaluation; printed with the summary or as a blank form; CSV; export and import a file.
Access
$12 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the tool opens once you are signed in with it. Included with Caveat Classroom and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Related Services toolkit ($99) and the Teaching Suite pass ($199), and 1 more bundle. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Related Services space in Caveat Teaching.
Support
Questions about an order, access or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.
set aside every other explanation first
Drawn for this page. Each other explanation is weighed and set aside before the group can call the difficulty a specific learning disability.

How to use it

  1. Start a record with the student code and the meeting date.
  2. Mark where achievement is not adequate.
  3. Check off the evidence gathered.
  4. Mark each factor ruled out, contributing or possibly primary.
  5. Fix the gaps the summary lists, then print for the report.

Start a record

What the organizer is for

The federal criteria

For a specific learning disability, the group must find that the student’s difficulties are not primarily the result of a visual, hearing or motor disability, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, cultural factors, environmental or economic disadvantage, or limited English proficiency. Separately, no student may be found eligible when the determinant factor is lack of appropriate instruction in reading or math, or limited English proficiency.

Present is not primary

A student can live in poverty, be learning English or have changed schools and still have a learning disability. The question is whether the factor explains the difficulty, which is why each one asks for evidence rather than a yes or no.

What this is not

An evidence organizer. It does not score tests, apply norms or make the determination. States may add their own criteria and forms.

Sources

  1. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act regulations, 34 CFR 300.309(a)(3) (factors that must not be the primary cause) and 300.306(b) (special rule for eligibility determination).
  2. 34 CFR 300.310 (observation in the child’s learning environment) and 300.311 (written report).
  3. 34 CFR 300.8(c)(10) (definition of specific learning disability).
  4. U.S. Department of Education, Analysis of Comments and Changes to the 2006 Part B regulations, 71 Fed. Reg. 46,646 to 46,662 (exclusionary factors and appropriate instruction).

The example student is made up. This page describes federal criteria in general terms; it is not legal advice and does not decide eligibility. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.