Definition of Significant Disabilities/Autism (SDA):

 

Students who have deficits in cognitive and/or adaptive behavior skills of more than three (3) standard deviations below the mean, as identified by formal pupil appraisal (re)evaluation, with or without accompanying issues of academic, physical, motoric, behavioral, communicative, medical, and/or assistive/augmentative technology needs, are considered to have SDA. The Bulletin 1508 exceptionalities of Intellectual Disability—Moderate, Intellectual Disability—Severe, and Multiple Disabilities are automatic qualifiers for students to access placement in SDA settings and/or for students to be placed on LEAP Connect Alternate Assessment.

 

 

Students may be considered as having SDA when cognitive and/or adaptive behavior skill deficits are less than three (3) standard deviations below the mean, depending on the cluster of accompanying needs, but this should occur infrequently and not be automatically assumed or determined based on behavior issues, sensory needs, motor/physical needs, academic deficits, and/or other non-cognitive and/or non-adaptive behavioral deficits.