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Specific Learning Disability (SLD) - What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Schools and Families

By Rosalyn Pryor, M.S., CCC-SLP PLLC
What is a Specific Learning Disability (SLD)? SLD is a neurological difference that affects one or more basic psychological processes involved in learning — commonly reading (dyslexia), written expression, or mathematics (dyscalculia).  A student with SLD has achievement in one or more academic areas that is substantially below what would be expected for their age, intelligence, or grade level and that significantly affects educational performance and/or access to the general curriculum. Signs That Should Prompt a Referral Parents and teachers should consider referral when a child shows persistent difficulty despite high-quality instruction and classroom supports.  Common red flags: Reading: slow, inaccurate decoding; poor reading fluency; trouble comprehending text. Writing: illegible or sparse written work, difficulty organizing ideas, spelling errors beyond developmental stage. Math: trouble with number sense, calculations, math facts, or problem-solving. Processing: sl...
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Orthopedic Impairment — What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Schools and Families

By Rosalyn Pryor, M.S., CCC-SLP PLLC
Orthopedic Impairment — What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Schools and Families Orthopedic Impairment (OI) is an IDEA eligibility category and may also qualify a student for protections under Section 504.  Orthopedic Impairment (OI) includes congenital anomalies, impairments caused by disease, and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, limb loss, neuromuscular conditions) that adversely affect a child’s educational performance.  This article explains how students qualify, the referral and evaluation process, common assessments, evidence‑based supports, classroom accommodations and modifications, and parents’ procedural rights. Legal Framework and Definition IDEA (Orthopedic Impairment): A severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects educational performance and requires specially designed instruction and/or related services.  States/districts add local criteria and procedures consistent with federal law. Section 504: Protects students whose physical or...
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Get Ready to Outsmart Dyslexia — Practical Start of Year Playbook

By Rosalyn Pryor, M.S., CCC-SLP PLLC
The Difference Makers: Turning Differences Into Superpowers — August 7, 2026 Parents and teachers, I am writing this article/post from the evaluator’s perspective.  Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year!  If your student(s) wrestle with dyslexia or persistent reading difficulty, the first weeks of school are make-or-break for confidence, routines, and momentum.  Below is a sharp, educator/evaluator-style action plan: smart, a little witty, and brutally practical. Quick Framing Start date reminder: the school year begins in August 2026 (or September) — use these steps in Week 0–3.  Goal: build predictability, protect confidence, and collect the right evidence so supports are timely and targeted. 1.  Begin With A First Day Plan (Not Chaos) Create a one-page “Welcome & Reading Plan” to share with families and key staff: strengths, current reading goals, accommodations, and two immediate classroom supports.  Keep language student facing: one sentence about ...
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Best Books to Start the School Year — A Starter Pack for Parents, Teachers, and Neurodiverse Students

By Rosalyn Pryor, M.S., CCC-SLP PLLC
As classrooms refill and routines reset, one simple, shared starting point can change the year: the right book.  Below are concise, practical recommendations to help parents, teachers, and neurodiverse students begin the school year with empathy, structure, and hope. Top Overall Pick (G ood for Everyone ) Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew — Ellen Notbohm Why: Relationship-first, strengths-based, and full of immediately usable language and strategies for both home and school. For Parents — Build Understanding and Advocacy Uniquely Human: A Different Way of Seeing Autism — Barry M. Prizant Why:   Reframes behavior as communication and focuses on practical, respectful responses. The Reason I Jump — Naoki Higashida (translated by KA Yoshida & David Mitchell) Why:  First‑person insight that builds empathy and guides conversations with your child and school teams. For Teachers — Classroom-Ready Strategies Inclusive-Classroom Strategy Guides (differentiation...
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Intellectual Disability — What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Schools and Families

By Rosalyn Pryor, M.S., CCC-SLP PLLC
Intellectual Disability — What IDEA and Section 504 Mean for Schools and Families Intellectual Disability (ID) is an IDEA eligibility category and a condition that may also qualify a student for protections under Section 504 .  ID affects intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior across conceptual, social, and practical domains and can significantly impact learning, independence, and participation in school.  This article explains how a child qualifies, the referral and evaluation process, common assessments, evidence‑based supports, classroom accommodations and modifications , and parents’ rights. Legal Definitions and Frameworks IDEA: Intellectual Disability (previously “mental retardation”) is defined under IDEA as significantly subaverage intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior, and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects educational performance and requires specially designed instruction . ...
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