Special Learning Needs
De La Salle has a dedicated Learning Needs Coordinator on staff who works with faculty, students, and parents to help meet the various learning needs and academic challenges within the student body.
Our Learning Needs Coordinator is responsible for:
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Developing programs to provide academic support for students; especially Spartan Success students.
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Coordinating services for students identified as having learning disabilities, including those who require classroom accommodations, learning aids (e.g. books on CD), or extended time on testing.
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Providing descriptive Profile Sheets to teachers.
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Providing academic support to students identified as having learning disabilities.
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Fostering students’ social adjustment to high school and beyond through the development of self-advocacy skills.
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Coordinating and administering classroom tests and standardized tests for students requiring accommodations.
Any prospective student applying to De La Salle with special learning needs (as identified by an active IEP, 504 Plan, or other professional evaluation) should refer to the Special Learning Needs page in our Admissions section.
Academic Accommodations
We require full and timely sharing of information regarding any learning needs or associated accommodations for students. Parents should disclose all such information and understand that decisions on matters related to learning needs and associated accommodations depend on the full cooperation of parents in sharing needed information.
Our school uses the standards prescribed by the College Board (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT) services. This accomplishes two goals. First, it allows us to update all of the records with common, recognized criteria for student accommodations. Second, when a student attains Junior and/or Senior standing and parents wish to request testing accommodations on the A.P., SAT, or ACT, the necessary documentation is on file. The proper forms will still need to be completed by the parents and the school, but the process will be greatly expedited.
The following guidelines for documentation are required. Documentation must be written by the diagnosing professional and meet ALL of these guidelines:
- States the specific differences as diagnosed;
- Is current (within the last three years);
- Describes the presenting problem(s) and developmental history, including relevant and educational history;
- Describes the comprehensive assessments (neuropsychological or psychpsycho-educationaluations), including evaluation dates, used to arrive at the diagnosis.
