Problem:
Please write a response to your peer's post below.
"When a student demonstrates learning difficulties that may stem from factors other than a disability, such as trauma, chronic stress, or environmental instability, it is essential to approach the situation with trauma-informed, collaborative strategies. One of the first steps is building open communication with general education teachers and families to gather contextual information about recent life events, behavioral changes, or emotional indicators. Using non-judgmental, strengths-based dialogue helps maintain trust while ensuring that all stakeholders feel safe sharing sensitive information. Research on trauma-informed schooling emphasizes the importance of creating predictable routines, offering emotional support, and observing patterns in behavior and engagement before assuming a disability is present (Cole et al., 2013; Brunzell et al., 2019). To determine whether a special education evaluation is appropriate, I would monitor multiple data sources, including academic performance trends, attendance, behavioral logs, work samples, and results from tiered interventions. Response to Intervention (RTI) frameworks stress the need to document how students respond to evidence-based instruction and supports before moving to formal assessment (Fuchs & Fuchs, 2017). If the student shows improvement with targeted interventions, this may indicate that trauma or environmental factors, not a disability, are the primary cause of difficulty. However, if the student continues to struggle despite consistent, high-quality interventions, this pattern may support the need for a comprehensive evaluation.
Additionally, I would look for indicators aligned with IDEA requirements, such as persistent academic deficits not explained by external factors, documented instructional interventions, and evidence that the learning challenges are not primarily due to emotional distress, lack of instruction, or cultural and linguistic differences. This ensures that any decision to assess is both ethical and legally defensible." Need Assignment Help?