Ahsan was a second grade boy who was having trouble learning to read. While most of his classmates were reading storybooks, he was struggling to remember the sound each letter makes. After Ahsan's parents learned from his report card that his reading was not improving, they asked the school for help. The school psychologist suggested they begin with an evaluation of Ahsan's skills by the school's special education team.
Ahsan's evaluation team was made up of his general education teacher, a special education teacher with expertise in reading, a school psychologist, and a social worker. Ahsan's ability to read and learn was tested. The school psychologist observed him in class during reading instruction. The social worker interviewed his mother about his reading habits, interests, and behavior at home.
After evaluation, the team explained to Ahsan's parents that because there was only a small difference (one year) in Ahsan's ability to learn and his reading level, he did NOT have a specific learning disability. Although Ahsan was not eligible for special education services, the team came up with ways his teacher and parents could help him learn to sound out letters and words so that he would not fall further behind. Ahsan's parents agreed with the team's decision, but said that they would ask for another evaluation if he did not show progress by third grade.