SCHOOL CLIMATE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

While most of this Guidebook provides questions to consider relative to CSE actions on each specific child, this section addresses the overall school climate and infrastructure that provide for an effective leadership to all personnel who work with students with disabilities.

It is important that certain administrative elements be in place in a school building to effectively offer a full continuum of special education programs and services to all students with disabilities, including full access to the general education curriculum. This section addresses many of these issues, including least restrictive environment practices and procedures, and prereferral and intervention strategies. Each section references a requirement on best practices immediately followed by a checklist of strategies that could be used to implement the requirement or practice. As a CSE chair, you could inventory current practices with a Y/N or simply (4 ) those items you would like to follow-up on through local planning processes.

Citations beginning with "300" refer to federal regulations to implement I.D.E.A., citations beginning with "200" refer to Part 200 (special education) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education for the State of New York; citations beginning with "100" refer to Part 100 (general education) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education for the State of New York. Other citations refer to applicable New York State Education Law.

Prevention and Prereferral Strategies in General Education 
Academic Intervention Services (AIS)
Educationally Related Support Services (ERSS) 
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) 

The use of prereferral instructional strategies in the general education setting is required to address the needs of students with learning and/or behavioral problems prior to a referral to the Committee on Special Education (CSE). Part 200 Regulations requires a description and documentation of any attempts to remediate a student’s performance prior to a referral to the CSE.

Sections 200.2 (b) (7) and Part 200.4(d) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education

____There is a commitment of general educators to have in place supports, strategies and accommodations to meet students’ needs.

____A system is established to support the delivery of prereferral supports, services and modifications.

____Appropriate opportunities exist for collaboration between general educators and special educators (e.g. time is set aside for this purpose).

____Consultation and support are available to teachers and other school personnel to assist parents and teachers in exploring alternative approaches for meeting the needs of any student prior to formal referral for special education.

____The determination of prereferral interventions considers the student’s strengths, environment, social history, language and cultural diversity in addition to teachers concerns. Interventions may include bilingual education or English as a Second Language for Limited English Proficient students.

____Team teaching, cooperative learning, and smaller instructional groups are used.

____Innovative ways to use existing resources to implement prereferral supports and services are in place.

____Concepts of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are incorporated into curriculum development.

____Other _________________________________________________________

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____Criteria are established for the selection of Instructional Support Teams members. Staff have been involved and agree to selection process.

____Instructional Support Teams include representatives from general and special education as well as other disciplines and include individuals with classroom experience including bilingual education or English as a Second Language in the case of Limited English Proficient students.

____Meetings of the Instructional Support Team establish a statement of purpose.

____Instructional Support Teams establish goals for meetings and progress is assessed on an ongoing basis.

____Forms are viewed as helpful in the implementation and review of prevention and prereferral strategies. (Forms include necessary information, are user friendly and are not cumbersome.)

____Members of the Instructional Support Team are knowledgeable about students who are at risk and students with disabilities.

____Other ____________________________________________________________

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____Administration views and supports Instructional Support Team meetings and functions as a priority (e.g. discourages meeting cancellation).

____A mentoring and consultative system is in place and supported by administration.

____Administration is accountable to ensure implementation of prereferral strategies. Enough time is given to see results of interventions.

____There is accountability to ensure that recommendations of the Instructional Support teams are implemented in a timely and quality manner.

____District-wide training to general and special educators is provided.

____Other ____________________________________________________________

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____Parents participate in CST/IST meetings.

____CSE/IST actively seek parents’ specialized knowledge about their child.

____Intervention and strategies incorporate parent information.

____CST/IST solicits feedback from parents on the success of the interventions/strategies.

____Other _____________________________________________________________

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___The distinction between students who require general education support services versus students with disabilities is understood.

___The referral process is clearly defined and made available to all staff.

___Curriculum modifications, language and cultural issues, and the role of the CSE members and the CSE process is understood by all, including the difference between language differences and disabilities in the case of Limited English Proficiency students.

____Other _____________________________________________________________

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____There is a review of what was recommended compared to what was implemented.

____Prereferral strategies are reviewed and evaluated to determine effectiveness.

____Supervisors/Principals ensure that prereferral supports and services recommended are implemented and supports/services/adaptations are available.

____The paperwork associated with the prereferral system reflects accountability and is available for review.

____Other ___________________________________________________________

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____CST/IST actively seeks input and/or assistance of outside agencies, where appropriate.

____Other _____________________________________________________________

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____The CSE referral process is clearly defined and available to parents.

____Parents are informed of their rights regarding special education.

____Parents are notified regarding the purpose of the meetings.

____Meetings are convenient and language is clear and understandable so that all may contribute, including the use of translators to ensure parent participation.

____Other _____________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC INTERVENTION SERVICES (AIS) is additional instruction designed to supplement the instruction provided in the general curriculum and assist students who are at risk of not achieving the New York State Learning Standards, and/or student support services which may include guidance, counseling, attendance and study skills needed to support improved academic performance. Academic Intervention Services are available to students with disabilities on the same basis as non-disabled students. Districts are required to have a plan describing the criteria for student identification, their strategies for implementing AIS services and criteria for concluding AIS.

Section 100.2 (ee) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education and January 2000 New York State Education Department Guidelines for Implementing AIS

____Does the district have a plan describing criteria for student identification, strategies for implementation and criteria for concluding AIS?

____Are the specific AIS services delineated in a written plan?

____Are all CSE members knowledgeable of AIS services?

EDUCATIONALLY RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES (ERSS)

All students are eligible for Educationally Related Support Services (ERSS) including students in general education, students with 504 accommodation plans and students with disabilities. ERSS are general education services.

Does the district provide the following ERSS:

____Psychological Services

____Social Work

____Speech and Language Improvement

____Curriculum and Instructional modification

____Direct Student Support Team Services

____Non-Career Counseling

____Special Instruction

Are ERSS available as part of the district’s CST/IST structure?

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) means that placement of students with disabilities in special classes, separate schools or other removal from the general educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that even with the use of supplementary aids and services, education cannot be satisfactorily achieved. Any time services are not provided to the student in the general education setting, an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the student will not participate in general education programs must be provided on the IEP.

The concept of LRE reinforces the idea that special education is a service, not a place. Districts should have specific practices and procedures in place regarding LRE, describing how responsibilities are carried out within the district.

Sections 200.4 (b and d) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education and Federal Regulations Section 300.347 (a)

___Does the school have evaluation procedures to assure that students are assessed in all areas related to the suspected disability, including, where appropriate, health, vision, hearing, social and emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, vocational skills, communicative status, motor abilities and assistive technology?

___Does the school have general education classes with consultant teacher services?

___Does the school have supplementary aids and services provided in general education classes or other education-related settings that enable students with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled students to the maximum extent appropriate in the least restrictive environment?

___Does the school have support for school personnel to address participation and progress in the general education curriculum and extracurricular/nonacademic activities?

___Do students with disabilities have access to and opportunities to participate in district-sponsored programs and activities?

___Does the school have program modifications or supports for school personnel and students to allow the student:

____ to advance appropriately toward attaining annual goals

____ to be involved and progress in the general curriculum and to participate in extracurricular and nonacademic activities

____to be educated and participate with other students with disabilities and nondisabled students?

___If the student’s behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others, did the CSE consider, when appropriate, strategies, including positive behavioral interventions, and supports to address that behavior?

___In the case of a student with limited English proficiency, did the CSE consider the language needs of the student as such needs relate to the student’s IEP?

___Does the district have adequate space to provide all services?

___Other________________________________________________________

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