Under federal law, parents have the right to decline, or waive, English language support services when their child is identified as an English learner (EL) in school. In this study, we focus on this important subgroup of ELs--referred to as waived ELs--at the understudied intersection of EL status and special education (SPED) status. Using…

Previous research illustrated that reading comprehension and science performance correlate highly. Because students with specific learning disorders with impairments in reading (SLD-IR) show deficits in reading comprehension, they may struggle to perform in science. As language in science is characterized by linguistic complexity, the question…

This article provides a practical illustration of how culturally sustaining pedagogy (CSP) and evidence-based practices (EBPs) can be integrated into a mathematics curriculum to address social justice issues. A vignette is provided to illustrate how a secondary teacher infused social justice education in a seventh-grade mathematics lesson through…

Middle school learners with disabilities, particularly learning disabilities, struggle with organizing their thoughts, expressing their ideas, spelling, the use of content vocabulary, the mechanics of writing, fluency, and overall, the primary elements of written expression (Graham et al., 2015). While writing complicates learning for students…

Mathematical knowledge and skills are critical in the development of students. In this article, we begin to unpack the concept of mathematics disabilities and how they are presented across classrooms. We explain commonly used terms such as, specific learning disability and dyscalculia, and emphasize how students qualify for math support. We…

This article focuses on implementing the Science of Math through a culturally responsive framework designed to support culturally and linguistically diverse students in math classrooms. We consider the influence of (second) language acquisition and instructional environments for students in addition to specific ways to increase instructional…

Solving word problems is a large part of algebra coursework and statewide testing. However, solving secondary mathematics word problems is difficult for most students and extremely challenging for students with specific learning disabilities (SLD). In recent meta-analyses, two problem solving strategies emerged as effective for secondary students…

Over the past decade, parent advocacy groups led a grassroots movement resulting in most states adopting dyslexia-specific legislation, with many states mandating the use of the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading instruction. Orton-Gillingham is a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive approach to…

The purposes of this study were to assess the effects of fractions intervention for students who are at risk for poor outcomes and to examine whether a component that combines self-regulated learning with growth-mindset instruction (SR-GM) provides added value for improving outcomes. At-risk students (N = 84) were randomly assigned to three…

In spite of the prevailing assumption that formal reading instruction is no longer needed once adolescents reach high school, students at the secondary level still benefit from explicit reading instruction to continue developing advanced literacy skills enabling them to access complex narrative texts. This article argues for the importance of…

Secondary students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) can often demonstrate skill deficits and problem behaviors in general education classes. Teachers generally understand how to implement intensive interventions, yet may not know how to address skill deficits and off-task behaviors using a function-based approach or may encounter barriers…

This meta-analysis synthesized over 40 years of research (k = 42 studies) in the social studies for students with learning disabilities. We analyzed the various mechanisms that researchers have used to improve outcomes in the social studies by conducting a subgroup investigation of interventions targeting the following instructional categories:…

This study investigated the prevalence of latent classes at risk for reading or math disabilities in elementary-age children whose first language is Spanish. To this end, children (N = 394) in Grades 1, 2, and 3 were administered a battery of vocabulary, reading, math, and cognitive measures in both Spanish and English. Three important findings…

The Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) model for instructional delivery is well supported by research evidence and is often identified as a critical element of instruction for students with learning difficulties. However, there are challenges associated with effectively releasing responsibility to students. This may be especially true during…

The overrepresentation of youth with disabilities in the juvenile justice system is a persistent concern, but estimates of their involvement vary dramatically due to differences in how disability is conceptualized and when involvement in juvenile justice is measured. This study linked juvenile court and educational records for 230,760 students in…