This year's Martin Luther King day falls in a year unlike any other in our country's history. We are in an election year where gender, race, and minority religions are issues. We have always been a country of many cultures, and our diversity continues to grow.

Diversity carries into our schools where classroom teachers are increasingly challenged to meet the needs of learners from a range of cultures. Children from diverse backgrounds who have learning disabilities present even more complex issues.

In some cases, schools may be reluctant to refer these students for evaluation to avoid overidentification of minority students in special education. Schools are also careful to avoid misidentifying students with a learning disability when the actual cause of academic problems may be a lack of instruction or related to cultural differences. Learn more about how evaluators can reduce the possibility of misdiagnosis with appropriate practices in pre-referral screening, and assessment and diagnosis of disabilities.