Special Education Process
The need for special education for students ages 5-21 is determined in the following manner:
- A student thought to be educationally disabled is referred to a multidisciplinary team called the Committee on Special Education (CSE).
- The CSE evaluates the student’s abilities, and based upon State and Federal laws and regulations, determines if the student is eligible to receive special education services.
- If so, the CSE recommends an appropriate Individualized Education Program (IEP) based on evaluation results, and the student’s individual needs.
- The program is implemented upon Board of Education approval.
- The IEP is modified or adjusted by the CSE once a year at an Annual Review Meeting.
The student has a major evaluation every three years to
assure that he or she continues to require special education
programs and services and that the IEP continues to be the
appropriate educational plan.
The CSE process occurs in an orderly fashion with each step
building upon the previous one. In this way, all information
about the student is obtained and considered. Timelines are in
place so that delays are avoided. Parents are an integral part
of this process and parental involvement is encouraged.
Special education
provides specially designed services and programs for children
with educational disabilities at no cost to parents or
guardians. It is intended to meet individual needs and enhance
strengths. Students and parents are introduced to special
education in various ways. Some disabilities can be identified
when children are very young. Others are not identified until
children show difficulty in regular school programs. Special
education programs and services are designed to assure that
children with disabilities receive appropriate and equal
opportunities for educational growth.
Related services
include: speech therapy, audiology, psychological services,
physical and occupational therapy, services from the Teacher of
the Deaf and Hearing Impaired, services from the Teacher of the
Visually Impaired, counseling services and school health
services.
For more information, please click on the
links below:
Individualized Education Plan
Continuum of Services
Classifications
Due Process
The Least Restrictive Environment
INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN (IEP)
An IEP is a written agreement between the parents and the school
about what the child needs and what will be done to address
those needs. It is, in effect, a contract about services to be
provided for the student. An IEP must include the following:
(1) the student’s present level of academic performance
(2) annual goals for the student
(3) short-term instructional objectives related to the annual
goals
(4) the special education and related services that will be
provided and the extent to which the child will participate in
regular education programs
(5) plans for starting the services and the anticipated duration
of the services
(6) appropriate plans for evaluating, at least annually, whether
the goals and objectives are being achieved.
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CONTINUUM OF SERVICES
The CSE recommends programs of Special Education along a
prescribed continuum of services, beginning with the least
restrictive environment (LRE) and moving to more restrictive
environments if the student requires a smaller learning group or
more intense services.
- Regular Classroom/Related Services
- Consultant Teacher Services
- Special Class (Part time)
- Self-Contained Class
- BOCES
- Special School (Private Day Placement)
- Residential School
- Home Instruction
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CLASSIFICATIONS
To be eligible for Special Education services, a school-age
student must meet the criteria set by the State of New York to
be classified in one of the following categories:
- Autistic
- Deaf-blindness
- Emotionally disturbed
- Mentally retarded
- Orthopedically impaired
- Speech impaired
- Visually impaired deaf
- Hard of hearing
- Learning disabled
- Multiply disabled
- Other health impaired
- Traumatic brain injury
A preschool child determined to be eligible for Special
Education is classified as a "Preschool Student with a
Disability" (see Preschool Special Education Services).
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DUE PROCESS
Federal laws protect the educational rights of a student with
disabilities. These rights are exercised through due process of
law. Due process in special education involves the parent’s
right:
- to be fully informed and knowledgeable about the actions to be taken
- to participate
- to consent
- to file a complaint
- to request an Independent Evaluation
- to challenge
- to appeal
- to request an Impartial Hearing
THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT
The concept of the least restrictive environment (LRE) is stated
in Federal law and assures the opportunity for each student with
an education disability
to be provided with free, appropriate special education services
to receive, to the maximum extent appropriate, education with
peers who do not have disabilities
to be given the consideration of the proximity of the
educational program to the student’s home.
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