Classification

Once all the evaluative material is presented and reviewed at the meeting, the IEP team must first determine whether the child is eligible for special education services. An eligible child will require special education intervention in order to enable him/her to receive the benefits of instruction and an education. If the team finds the child eligible for special education, they must then classify the child.

The classifications include:

Learning Disabled (LD)

Speech Impaired (SI)

Visually Impaired (VI)

Traumatic Brain Injured (TBI)

Mentally Retarded (MR)

Emotionally Disturbed (ED)

Hearing Impaired (HI)

Orthopedically Impaired (OI)

Autistic

Other Health Impaired (OHI)

The IDEA allows, but does not require, school districts to add the classifications of Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) at their discretion.