This is an official position paper of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD), of which the Council for Learning Disabilities has been a long-standing, active member. Response to intervention (RTI) is a critical component of a multi-tiered service delivery system. This NJCLD paper presents concerns related to the implementation of RTI and its use as the sole method of evaluation to determine the identification and eligibility for special education as a student with a specific learning disability (SLD) and implications for transition.

This is an official document of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD), of which Council for Learning Disabilities is a long-standing, active member. With this position paper, NJCLD advocates for the implementation of highquality education standards (HQES) for students with learning disabilities (LD) and outlines the necessary ingredients that contribute to successful outcomes for students with LD in meeting HQES.

The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) 1 affirms that (a) the construct of learning disabilities represents a valid, unique, and heterogeneous group of disorders and (b) recognition of this construct is essential for sound policy and practice. An extensive body of scientific research on learning disabilities continues to support the validity of the construct. Historically, specific learning disability (SLD) has been recognized and defined by the U.S. Department of Education since 1968 (U.S. Office of Education, 1968). However, ongoing discussion about retaining the learning disabilities category has prompted this overview of critical issues in the field of learning disabilities and their implications for policies that affect individuals with learning disabilities. This report addresses points of general agreement in the field of learning disabilities, common misperceptions regarding learning disabilities, and unresolved issues in scholarship and practice, which inform the NJCLD's policy recommendations regarding learning disabilities research and practice. This article presents neither all agreements nor all controversies in the field of learning disabilities; the NJCLD's purpose in presenting this document is to establish a basic consensus upon which to build policy for the United States. Understanding Learning Disabilities: Consensus and Controversies Even though a great deal is known about learning disabilities, the field has been the subject of controversies for most of its history. This section of the report addresses points of agreement, common misperceptions, and unresolved issues.

This article summarizes nine White Papers that were commissioned by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and presented at the Learning Disabilities Summit -Building a Foundation for the Future, August 2001. The purpose of the article is to inform the membership of the Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD) of the issues identified by authors of the White Papers that promise to influence research, policy, and practice.

The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) affirms the importance of transition as a critical component of successfully progressing from secondary school to college or university for students with learning disabilities. Although NJCLD has addressed secondary to postsecondary education transition planning in a previous paper, several challenges remain. This NJCLD position paper includes information about the laws that affect students with learning disabilities at each level, documentation required, key participants, and programs and resources to assist in the transition process.