Carmen Faria, Chancellor

Special Education FAQ

January 12, 2016
Developed in Collaboration with the UFT and CSA

1. WhatisthedifferencebetweentheSchoolImplementationTeam(SIT)andtheschoolsCommitteeon
SpecialEducation(CSE)[knownastheIEPteam]?

TheIEPteam(whichincludestheparent)isresponsiblefordevelopingIEPs. TheSITisacriticalstructure to
facilitatethestrategicplanningandguidancenecessarytoensuretheschoolcommunityisprepared toserve
allstudents.Itisresponsible,inpart,forthetimelyimplementationofIEPmandates.Thebroad responsibility
oftheSITistodevelopandcarryoutanappropriateandeffectiveimplementationplan specifictoaschools
community.

2. Canaschooldecidetoofferaspecificservicesuchasintegratedcoteachingorspecialclass
services, onlyinparticularsubjects(suchasonlylocallydeterminedcoreclasses)orforasetnumber
of periods?Canbudget,availabilityofstaff,andspacelimitationsbeconsideredwhenrecommending
specialeducationinstructionalandrelatedservices?

No.AllrecommendationsonastudentsIEP,includingthesubjectsandnumberofperiodsforICT,must be
determinedby,anddesignedtoaddress,his/herindividualneeds.IEPrecommendationsmustnotbe based
ontheservicescurrentlyofferedinaschool,budget,availabilityofstafforspacelimitations,if thoseservices
do not meet the students needs in his/her Least Restrictive Environment. School leadership should work
closelywithboroughfieldsupportcentersshouldtherebeneedforadditionalresources.

3. WhomustparticipateinanIEPmeeting?

Participationrequirementsdifferbasedonthepurposeofthemeeting;refertotheSOPMatpage63. When
ageneraleducationteacherisarequiredparticipantinanIEPteammeeting,heorshemustbe presentfor
the entirety of the meeting unless the teacher is excused from all or part of the meeting through written
parentalconsentatleast5dayspriortothemeeting.Thesameruleappliesforspecial educationteachers
whoarerequiredparticipants.

4. How does the IEP team arrive at appropriate service recommendations? Can someone other than a
mandatedIEPteammembermakeprogramandsupportservicerecommendations?

All special education program and service recommendations are made by the IEP team during the IEP
meeting.AllmembersoftheIEPteam,mandatedornot,mayparticipateinthemeetinginfull.IEP teamsare
expectedtoreachtheirdecisionthroughaconsensusbuildingprocess.Thisdoesnotmean thatallmembers
of the IEP team must agree, but rather that they have, through careful review of all information and
perspectives,developedrecommendationsthatareappropriateforthestudent.
If the IEP team cannot reach consensus on the recommended program and services, the District
Representativemakesthefinaldetermination.


Carmen Faria, Chancellor

5. WhenisitappropriatetoamendanIEPaftertheannualreviewwithoutanIEPteammeeting?

Ingeneral,onlyminorchangesintheIEPshouldbemadewithoutanIEPteammeeting.BeforeanIEP canbe
amendedwithoutanIEPmeeting,theIEPteammustclearlydescribeallproposedchangesonthe Waiverof
IEP Meeting to Amend IEP form (inSESIS),whichmustincludeacleardescriptionofall proposedchanges,
andsendtheformtotheparent.Additionally,theIEPteamdesigneemustdiscuss withtheparentanyandall
changesthatarebeingconsidered.Iftheparentdoesnotagreetothe proposedchanges,thechangescannot
bemadewithoutanIEPteammeeting.RefertotheSOPMpages 7273formoreinformation.

6. Whenstudents arerecommendedfor specialclass or ICTfor less than thefullschool day, how should
theybeprogrammedfortheremainingperiods?

As noted in the December 9, 2015 Principals Weekly, for all subjects for which a students IEP does not
recommendspecialeducationservices,thestudentmustreceiveinstructionina generaleducationclasswith
his/herpeerswhodonothavedisabilities.

7. Howdoyoufunctionallygroupstudents?

Forspecialclass,SETSS,ICT,andrelatedservices,studentswithdisabilitiesmustbegroupedbysimilarity of
individual needs,so thatthe provider may address the needsofeachstudentinthe group. Each students
characteristics in the following areas must be considered: academic achievement, functional performance
andlearningcharacteristics;socialdevelopment;physicaldevelopment;management needs.Studentswith
differentdisabilityclassificationsmaybegroupedtogether.

8. WhataretherequiredcomponentsofasuccessfulICTprogram?

ICTisaninstructionalmodelthatallowsstudentswithdisabilitiestobeeducatedwithageappropriate peers
without disabilities in the general education classroom with the support of a special education teacher to
deliver specially designed instruction and accommodate and modify instruction, as needed. One general
education and one special education teacher share accountability for the planning, delivery of instruction,
andassessmentforallstudents. Teacherscollaborativelyplan,prepare,andfacilitate lessons,activities,and
projects. Coteachers must be provided regular common planning time during the work day (i.e., time
dedicated for Professional Development; time dedicated for Other Professional Work; professional activity
assignments;andprepperiods). Theyshouldalsoparticipatetogether inprofessionaldevelopmenttolearn
the various models of coteaching and the appropriate uses and limitations of each model. ICT may be
provided fulltime, for less than the entire day, or on an individual subject basis, as set out in IEP
recommendationsbasedoneachstudentsindividualneed.

9. WhatdoesitmeanwhenanICTclassisoutofcompliance?

InNewYorkCity,themaximumnumberofstudentswithdisabilitiesinanICTclassmaynotexceed40% of
thetotalclassregister.StateregulationslimitthetotalnumberofstudentswithdisabilitiesinanICT classto
12. The 40% limit and total of 12 includes any student with a disability in the class, regardless of IEP
recommendation.NYSEDallowsoneadditionalstudentwithadisabilitytobeaddedtoaparticular periodor
class(foratotalof13)afterthestartoftheschoolyearwhenitreceivesnotificationwithin10 daysofthe


Carmen Faria, Chancellor

studentjoiningtheclass.The13thstudentmaybeaddedonlywhentheSpecialEducation OfficeatCentral
has approved the placement and notified NYSED. For further information, see
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/lawsregs/part200201completejuly2015.pdf.

10. WhatisChapter408andwhatdoesitrequire?

Chapter408referstostatelawandcorrespondingregulationsrequiringthat:(1)eachprovider responsible
for implementing a students IEP (including general and special education teachers, related service
providers,andotherserviceproviders),beprovidedwithelectronicaccessto,oracopyof,the studentsIEP
prior to the IEPs implementation; (2) the students IEP remain confidential; and (3) each staff member
responsible for implementing the students IEP (including the paraprofessional) is informed of his or her
specific responsibilities in order to ensure proper implementation. Each paraprofessional must have the
ongoing opportunity to review a copy of the students IEP. For more information, refer to:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/chap408final.htm.

11. Are mandated providers, including special education and general education teachers in ICT classes,
allowedtocoverotherdutiesduringprovisionofservicetime?

No.AsnotedintheApril28,2015PrincipalsWeekly,professionalswhoare obligatedtoprovideservicesas
mandated on IEPs (including special education teachers, general education teachers in ICT classes, related
serviceproviders,andparaprofessionals)mustserveeach studentasmandatedandmaynotbeassignedto
otherduties(suchasexamscoringor coverage/proctoringforotherclasses)thatwouldpreventthemfrom
doingso,exceptinextraordinary circumstances.Substitutecoverageforbothgeneralandspecialeducation
teachersmustbearrangedwhenbeingaskedtoscoreexams.

12. What is the timeline for completing initial evaluations, requested reevaluations and threeyear
mandatedreviews?

TheDOEhas60calendar days toevaluate achildafterreceivingparentconsentand60school days from

consenttoevaluatetoprovidetheplacementrecommendedintheinitialIEP.Ifthechildis receivingspecial
educationservices,theDOEmustprovidetherecommendedplacementwithin60 schooldaysofthereferral
forreevaluation.PleaserefertotheSOPMbeginningatpage46.

13. Canstaffmembersrequestthatachildbeinitiallyevaluated?

A teacher, or other professional staff member, may request that a child be evaluated by completing the
RequestforReferralform(inSESIS).Afterreceivingtherequest,theprincipalmusttakeoneoftwo actions
within10schooldays:(1)requestparentalconsenttoevaluateor(2)providetheparentwitha copyofthe
requestandoffertheparenttheopportunitytodiscusstherequestwiththebuilding administratorandthe
professional staff member who requested the referral. For more information please refer to the SOPM at
page25.
14. Canstaffmembersrequestareevaluation?

Astudentsteacherorrelatedserviceprovidermaymakeareferralforareevaluation.Pleasereferto the
SOPMatpage30.


Carmen Faria, Chancellor

15. Arethereanylimitsonaparentsrighttorefertheirchildforevaluation?

No.Parentsmayrequestaninitialevaluationatanytime(includingpriortoorduringthe implementationof
Response to Intervention strategies) to determine if their child is eligible for special education services,
unlessthestudenthasreceivedahighschooldiplomaorturned21priorto September1oftheschoolyear
inquestion.