Special Education

Sayville UFSD reopening plan provides a framework to ensure 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 in the least restrictive environment (LRE). In consideration of the health, safety, and well-being of students, families, and staff, our plan is designed to enable transitioning between in-person, remote, and hybrid learning environments to ensure the provision of FAPE consistent with the changing health and safety conditions that exist.

Sayville will prioritize in-person services for students with the highest level of needs consistent with FAPE.

Provision of Services

● All IEPs will be followed to the greatest extent possible in terms of mandates. Either in person, virtual, or hybrid instruction will be delivered. The district is committed to offering its full continuum of services. Flexibility will be provided with respect to the mode, manner, group size, frequency, duration, and location of the services.

Least Restrictive Environment

● Students will continue to be educated in the least restrictive environment to the greatest extent possible and provided access to high-quality programs that are designed to meet the needs of each individual learner.

Special education programs and services of the Sayville UFSD provide equity and access for students with disabilities to be involved in and to participate and progress in the general education curriculum with access to the necessary accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and services, and technology (including assistive technology) to meet the unique disability related needs of students. While not all formats allow for maximum benefit to students, these programs and services can be provided in all formats (live-person, hybrid, or remote). The Sayville UFSD will document the programs and services offered and provided to students with disabilities as well as to the communications with parents in their preferred language and mode of communication (eg. Related Services Log). The district will ensure access to the necessary accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and services, and technology (including assistive technology) to meet the unique disability related needs of students.

All IEPs will be followed to the greatest extent possible in terms of mandates, whether in person, virtual or hybrid instruction takes place.

● Parents will be notified, in writing or via verbal communication, in the event that a service cannot be provided in the same mode or manner in which it is typically delivered. Parents will be contacted directly if any student specific modifications need to occur. Flexibility will be provided with respect to the mode, manner, group size, frequency, duration, and location of the services. Amendments to the IEP will be considered and discussed with the family.

LRE Documentation

● Any changes considered will be made collaboratively with the educational team, including parents, building staff, teachers, therapists, and student, when appropriate.

● Flexibility will be provided with respect to the mode, manner, group size, frequency, duration, and location of the services.

● In the event that the school program moves to a virtual platform due to COVID 19 guidelines, behavioral support will be available for both the teacher, student, and families.

Progress Monitoring

● Teachers and service providers will continue to progress monitor, collect data, and address progress toward measurable annual goals during in person, hybrid, or virtual instruction. Attendance will be monitored consistent with the School District procedures.

The Sayville UFSD is committed to providing 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. Further, we will maintain regular communication with the parents/guardians and other family members to ensure that they are engaged in their children’s education during the reopening process.

● The Committee on Preschool Special Education and the Committee on Special Education will continue to convene via the Google Meets platform in order to address parental concerns as well as review student progress toward goals. Meetings will be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time and invitations will be provided in the family's native language.

● Prior Written Notices and IEPs will be provided in the family’s native language.

Referrals

● District staff received professional development regarding virtual evaluations and/or specific changes to in-person evaluation protocols.

● Students suspected of having a disability will be referred to the CSE/CPSE and all timelines will be met to complete evaluations and to convene the Committee.

Initial Evaluations / Re-evaluations

● During the summer of 2020, families were offered in-person evaluations for all initial and re-evaluations that were on hold due to COVID-19 Executive Orders and school closure. Evaluations will continue in-person during the 2020-2021 school year with health and safety precautions.

Eligibility Determination

• Initial Eligibility Determination meetings will convene upon completion of the evaluations at a mutually agreeable date and time. If parents choose to wait until the return of school in the fall, those students will be prioritized.

The Sayville UFSD will plan and support collaboration 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.

Communication/Coordination

● The District administrators will continue to communicate with the administration of all CPSE and CSE special education programs and providers, including out of district schools.

● As always, the CPSE/CSE is available to meet to address concerns or issues.

Private schools

● The District will continue to provide special education services in accordance with IESPs for students attending private and parochial schools within the district boundaries. The district will share information and resources with these schools for any COVID-19 related accommodation/modification needed to serve students with disabilities.

Compensatory Services

● The District will continue to collect data and monitor for progress and regression during the 2020 Extended School Year program as well as the 2020-2021 school year.

The CSE/CPSE will review this progress to determine and recommend appropriate levels of services. The teachers and/or Committee will communicate this information through progress monitoring, Committee meeting discussion, and PWNs.

The Sayville UFSD will maintain records to document the implementation of each IEP. The documentation will include, but will not be limited to: narrative records of how the student is adjusting to live, hybrid, and remote instruction during 2020-21, a record of what instruction and services were provided, a record of formative, summative, and standardized assessments and their results as well as progress monitoring documentation, a record of school-family collaboration, and the provision of compensatory services records.

● In the event of full virtual instruction, a variety of online programs and instructional tools will be readily available. These programs incorporate individualized data collection and progress monitoring as well as provide a high level of student engagement.

● Teachers will provide modifications and accommodations as per the IEP.

● All students will be provided ChromeBooks in order to access Google classrooms, instructional tools, and online programs.

● The district consults with assistive technology specialists who are available to support teachers, parents and students with any assistive technology needs that may arise.