Special Education Services

Introduction

Special education programs and services provide equity and access for students with disabilities to be involved in and to participate and progress in the general education curriculum. The District's plan provides a framework ensuring that all students with disabilities continue to have available to them a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.

Operating Principles:

In all instructional models (onsite, hybrid, or remote) the District will:

• continue to have the responsibility under Child Find and IDEA to identify, locate, and evaluate all students with disabilities (aged 3-21) or a suspicion of a disability who are in need of special education and related services. However, a referral may not be warranted if the reason for underperformance is due to school closure.

• continue to ensure meaningful parent engagement in the parent’s preferred language or mode of communication regarding the provision of services to his/her child to meet the requirements of the IDEA.

• collaborate between the committees on preschool special education (CPSE) and committees on special education (CSE) and program providers representing the variety of settings where students are served to ensure there is an understanding of the provision of services consistent with the recommendations on individualized education programs (IEPs), plans for monitoring and communicating student progress, and commitment to sharing resources in the parent’s preferred language or mode of communication.

• provide access to the necessary accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and services, and technology (including assistive technology) to meet the unique disability related needs of students.

• ensure that students with disabilities will be educated with non-disabled students to the maximum extent appropriate and in accordance with the Least Restrictive Environment.

• ensure procedural safeguards and prior written requirements will be provided to parents as required.

• ensure student accommodations and modifications are implemented in all instructional models to ensure equity and access to the general education curriculum in consideration of a student's unique disability related needs

• ensure that students with disabilities continue to have access to supplementary aids and services to meet their unique instructional and social emotional needs.

• ensure that students have access to assistive technology that is used to increase, maintain, or improve their functional capabilities.

High-Needs Students

The District will prioritize in-person services for preschool students with disabilities and onsite services for school aged students with significant academic, behavioral, physical, and/or social-emotional needs (i.e. students in full day special classes).

IEP Implementation

In March 2020, NYSED provided guidance in conformance with the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) that IEPs did not need to be amended as schools converted to online or virtual learning platforms. Until schools return to normal operating conditions, the same flexibility with respect to IEP implementation for delivery of services during school closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak continues to apply to the programs and services whether delivered in-person and/or remotely.

Request for an Evaluation

Before referring a student for special education, the District takes into consideration all factors that may have influenced the student’s progress during school closures due to COVID-19. If the District suspects a student of having a disability, it will refer the student for an initial special education evaluation and obtain parent consent for the evaluation. However, a referral may not be warranted if the reason for underperformance is due to school closures and a change in the provision of education. All parent referrals and request for referrals by school staff will be considered as usual per the procedures in Commissioner’s Regulations section 200.4(a). Parent or school staff referral should be addressed to the building principal.

Whenever possible evaluations will be conducted in person.

Committee Meetings

All Committee Meetings are held via Zoom video conferencing/teleconferencing.