Are some children penalized by the learning disability eligibility criteria?
Yes. Young children, between kindergarten and second grade, have a difficult time qualifying because the achievement tests for those grade levels often do not reveal the child’s difficulties. Children who test low average in intelligence are also penalized, as it is difficult to find a “severe discrepancy” between ability and achievement. On the other hand, under these criteria, very bright children are more likely to show a discrepancy between their academic performance and their potential.
