Specific Learning Difficulty – College

Specific Learning Difficulty

Two types of Specific Learning Difficulties are considered:
A: Dyslexia (read screening criteria A)
B: Dyscalculia (read screening criteria B)
To be eligible for DARE, the evidence submitted must meet at least ONE of the specific criteria A or B.

Screening criteria A	Dyslexia
Appropriate Professional	Appropriately qualified Psychologist.
Type of Documentation Required	A full Psychological Assessment Report, as described in the DARE 2017 Acceptable Reports, Acceptable Tests and Checklist for applicants with an SLD (click here to view and download) All tests used must be current, valid, reliable, and age appropriate. Performance should be reported as standard scores and percentile points; age equivalent scores are not acceptable. Score ranges and descriptive ranges alone are not sufficient. Where these are reported alone, the candidate may be made ineligible. Psychologists should consult the DARE 2017 Acceptable Reports, Acceptable Tests and Checklist for applicants with an SLD.
Required Age of Report	While there is no age limit on diagnostic evidence submitted, it is advisable to submit a recent report.
Other Disabilities	Submit an Evidence of Disability Form for each disability/ condition to be considered.
Educational Impact Statement (EIS)	The Educational Impact Statement allows you and your school to provide detail of how your disability has impacted on your second level experience. The EIS is a requirement for all applicants.
DARE Eligibility	In addition to a Psychological Assessment Report of any age completed by a psychologist, applicants with dyslexia MUST also have two literacy attainment scores at or below the 10th percentile (Standard Score of 81 or below). These attainment scores can be from one (or a combination) of the following sources: Attainment scores can be entered into Indicator 6 (Specific Learning Difficulty Attainment Scores) by the school using attainment scores from school-based testing carried out on or after 1 February 2015. Where the attainment scores are from tests carried out by a suitably qualified psychologist, one of the following must be submitted: A full Psychological Assessment Report which contains relevant attainment scores from testing carried out on or after 1 February 2015 OR A fully completed DARE 2017 SLD Attainment Summary Sheet (click here to view and download) OR An equivalent summary report from a Psychologist. Where a combination of scores from psychologist and school-based testing is being reported, all scores can be entered into Indicator 6 by the school but this must be accompanied by one of the documents listed in point 2 above. In all cases, these must have been carried out after 1 February 2015, and all applicants must submit an Educational Impact Statement completed by their school. The applicant is eligible once satisfactory documents have been submitted to DARE, which confirm: Educational Impact Indicator 6: Attainment at or below the 10th percentile/SS 81 in two literacy areas from: Single word reading / identification Reading accuracy Reading comprehension Reading speed/ fluency Pseudoword decoding Spelling Writing speed AND one other indicator from educational impact indicators 1 to 5 to meet the DARE educational impact criteria. For 2017 only: Applicants submitting a full psychological assessment dated between 1 February 2014 and 1 February 2015 are not required to submit literacy or numeracy attainment test scores dated post 1 February 2015, provided that the attainment scores in the report meet the DARE criteria. In all cases, applicants must also submit an EIS completed by their school.

Screening criteria B	Dyscalculia
Appropriate Professional	Appropriately qualified Psychologist.
Type of Documentation Required	A full Psychological Assessment Report, as described in the DARE 2017 Acceptable Reports, Acceptable Tests and Checklist for applicants with an SLD (click here to view and download) All tests used must be current, valid, reliable, and age appropriate. Performance should be reported as standard scores and percentile points; age equivalent scores are not acceptable. Score ranges and descriptive ranges alone are not sufficient. Where these are reported alone, the candidate may be made ineligible. Psychologists should consult the DARE 2017 Acceptable Reports, Acceptable Tests and Checklist for applicants with an SLD.
Required Age of Report	While there is no age limit on diagnostic evidence submitted, it is advisable to submit a recent report.
Other Disabilities	Submit an Evidence of Disability Form for each disability/ condition to be considered.
Educational Impact Statement (EIS)	The Educational Impact Statement allows you and your school to provide detail of how your disability has impacted on your second level experience. The EIS is a requirement for all applicants.
DARE Eligibility	In addition to a Psychological Assessment Report of any age completed by a psychologist, applicants with dyscalculia MUST also have two numeracy attainment scores at or below the 10th percentile (Standard Score of 81 or below). These attainment scores can be from one (or a combination) of the following sources: Attainment scores can be entered into Indicator 6 (Specific Learning Difficulty Attainment Scores) by the school using attainment scores from school-based testing carried out on or after 1 February 2015. Where the attainment scores are from tests carried out by a suitably qualified psychologist, one of the following must be submitted: A full Psychological Assessment Report which contains relevant attainment scores from testing carried out on or after 1 February 2015 OR A fully completed DARE 2017 SLD Attainment Summary Sheet (click here to view and download) OR An equivalent summary report from a Psychologist. Where a combination of scores from psychologist and school-based testing is being reported, all scores can be entered into Indicator 6 by the school but this must be accompanied by one of the documents listed in point 2 above. In all cases, these must have been carried out after 1 February 2015, and all applicants must submit an Educational Impact Statement completed by their school. The applicant is eligible once satisfactory documents have been submitted to DARE, which confirm: Educational Impact Indicator 6: Attainment at or below the 10th percentile/SS 81 in two numeracy areas from: Mathematical reasoning and problem solving Mathematical computation Mathematical fluency AND one other indicator from educational impact indicators 1 to 5 to meet the DARE educational impact criteria.For 2017 only: Applicants submitting a full psychological assessment dated between 1 February 2014 and 1 February 2015 are not required to submit literacy or numeracy attainment test scores dated post 1 February 2015, provided that the attainment scores in the report meet the DARE criteria. In all cases, applicants must also submit an EIS completed by their school.