Results of an exploratory study of eligibility decisions made for 19 Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs), who qualified for special education in early childhood and subsequently received special education reading instruction, are reported. Full and individual evaluations revealed that only 9 students demonstrated significant Intelligence Quotient–reading achievement discrepancies. Because the study's purpose was to describe characteristics of ELLs with reading-related learning disabilities (LD), these students became the focus of analyses. After examining data from students' school records, an expert panel concluded that 1 student had reading-related LD, 3 had disabilities other than LD, and 5 had problems that could be explained by other factors. Issues associated with the special education identification process for ELLs are discussed and recommendations for improving practice are offered.
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