Training School Psychologists to Identify Specific Learning Disabilities: A Content Analysis of Syllabi

Abstract

.Approximately 2.4 million children receive special education services for specific learning disabilities (SLDs), and school psychologists are key contributors to the SLD eligibility decision-making process. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) enabled local education agencies to use response to intervention (RTI) instead of the prevailing ability–achievement (Ab-Ach) discrepancy method for SLD decision making. In this study we examined the degree to which school psychology graduate programs train different methods of SLD decision making by analyzing syllabi (n = 123) from courses in school psychology graduate programs (n = 78). Syllabi were coded by (a) Ab-Ach discrepancy training, (b) RTI training, (c) special education (e.g., law or the referral process), (d) communicating assessment results, (e) ethics, and (f) multicultural assessment considerations. Variations existed between training programs, across courses within training programs, and across regions of the country. Implications for training are discussed and address areas for future training and research.