Having trouble properly writing sentence in Common App essay
Solution 1:
You may be trying to pack too much background information into one sentence. I suggest splitting it into two sentences--the first to identify Drake as your student with learning deficiencies, and the second to state your conclusion:
Drake, a 6th grader, had been evaluated by previous teachers to be at a 3rd-grade level mathematically. Drawing and counting circles was the only method to which he responded, but I couldn't outright blame our difficulties on his learning deficiencies.