Category: Content Area Information

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Iowa Administrative Rules of Special Education allow the provision of related services to assist children with disabilities in benefitting from their special education program. Related services include “counseling services”; however, the law does not define counseling services beyond requiring these services be provided by a qualified social worker,…

Reading proficiently is not only important for a child’s success in the classroom, but outside the school walls as well (Nevills & Wolfe, 2009; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). Recent results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP; 2013) indicate students are making reading progress nationwide, with a significant increase in the percentage of both fourth- and eighth-grade students reading at the proficient level when compared with the results from the previous assessment in 2011. However, there are still students who experience difficulty in learning to read (Hosp & MacConnell, 2014). And, as such early difficulties often continue throughout schooling (Moats, 2007; Snow et al., 1998) and beyond, especially if the student isn’t provided some type of intensive assistance (Moats, 1999). Starting at an early age is essential.