A study involving six high risk children (K through grade 2) was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a methodology for validating identification and placement of students diagnosed as educable mentally retarded, specific learning disabled, and emotionally disturbed. The methodology used was criterion-referenced tests in a time-series design; and evidence of the effectiveness of identification and placement was based on two patterns in the data--an increase in the score gains after placement and an abrupt change in the achievement score at the time of placement as well as change in learning rate. Of the six children, five exhibited learning rates after placement that were higher than learning rates prior to placement. (Advantages and disadvantages of the methodology are briefly discussed.) (SBH)