Overview of the State Performance Plan Development
See Overview of the State Performance Plan Development preceding Indicator #1.
Monitoring Priority: FAPE in the LRE |
Indicator #6: Percent of preschool children with IEPs who received special education and related services in settings with typically developing peers (e.g., early childhood settings, home, and part-time early childhood/part-time early childhood special education settings).
(20 U.S.C. 1416(a) (3) (A))
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Measurement: Percent = # of preschool children with IEPs who received all special education services in settings with typically developing peers divided by the total # of preschool children with IEPs times 100. |
Section 4410 of the Education Law and section 200.16 of the Commissioner’s Regulations establish the process for preschool students with disabilities to receive special education services.
The Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) makes recommendations for placement of preschool students with disabilities. The CPSE is required by law and regulation to first consider the appropriateness of providing related services only; or special education itinerant teacher services (SEIT) only; or related services in combination with SEIT services; or a half-day preschool program or a full-day preschool program. The CPSE is also required to first consider providing special education services in a setting where age-appropriate peers without disabilities are typically found, prior to recommending the provision of special education services in a setting, which includes only preschool children with disabilities.
The CPSE is required to include in its written report of its recommendation a statement of the reasons why less restrictive placements were not recommended when the recommendation is for the provision of special education services in a setting with no regular contact where age-appropriate peers without disabilities.
Baseline Data for FFY 2004 (2004-2005)
In 2004-05, 63.5 percent of preschool children with IEPs received special education and related services in settings with typically developing peers (e.g., early childhood settings, home, and part-time early childhood/part-time early childhood special education settings).
Discussion of Baseline Data
In 2004-05, 465 out of 664 school districts with preschool special
education students (70 percent) had rates of integration in preschool
placements that exceeded the State average, while 199 school districts were
below the statewide average. One hundred forty-eight (148) school districts
were at 100 percent integration, including a large city/high need school
district.
Analysis by geographic regions indicates wide differences. New York
City and Long Island are below the statewide rate by 11 and 7 percentage
points respectively, while Central and Eastern New York State exceed the
statewide baseline by 20 and 15 percentage points respectively. Between
2003-04 and 2004-05, New York City increased its integration of special
education placements from 41.5 percent to 52.4 percent.
Data from the longitudinal study of 5,000 preschool students with
disabilities indicate a statistical relationship between integration in
preschool special education and age appropriate development of learning and
behavioral skills in kindergarten. As the students progress through grade
four, data will continue to be collected to ascertain long-term effects of
preschool integration.
NYS has made steady growth in the integration of preschool special education over time. In 1995-96, the integration rate was 32.3%. The 2004-05 rate has nearly doubled since that time. In 2003-04, the NYS rate exceeded the national average by 6.7 percentage points. Among the improvement strategies implemented over this time period that led to these improvement results are:
- A moratorium on the approval of any new or expanded preschool programs in settings that include only preschool children with disabilities.
- The addition of SEIT services to the continuum of preschool special education services in 1997.
- A grant initiative to promote the development of new or expanded preschool programs in integrated settings.
- Initiation in 2001 of the NYS Universal Pre- Kindergarten Program.
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FFY |
Measurable and Rigorous Target |
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2005 |
64 percent of preschool students with disabilities served in either natural settings or settings that include nondisabled children. |
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2006 |
64.5 percent of preschool students with disabilities served in either natural settings or settings that include nondisabled children. |
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2007 |
65.5 percent of preschool students with disabilities served in either natural settings or settings that include nondisabled children. |
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2008 |
67 percent of preschool students with disabilities served in either natural settings or settings that include nondisabled children. |
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2009 |
68 percent of preschool students with disabilities served in either natural settings or settings that include nondisabled children. |
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2010 |
70 percent of preschool students with disabilities served in either natural settings or settings that include nondisabled children. |
Activity |
Timeline |
Resources |
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Review the results of the preschool longitudinal study, including the effects of placements of preschool students in integrated versus nonintegrated settings. |
2005-07 |
IDEA Discretionary Funds Longitudinal Study of Preschool Students |
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Approval of any new or expanded programs in settings which include only preschool children with disabilities requires documentation of regional need to meet the demand for services for preschool children in the least restrictive environment. |
2005-11 |
SEQA staff |
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Increase opportunities for students with disabilities to have earlier access to inclusive educational settings.
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2006-11 |
EMSC/VESID staff |
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Share national effective practices and strategies regarding: instructional delivery designs in general education settings; and classroom culture and conditions that positively impact student engagement in general education preschool settings. |
2006-11 |
National Technical Assistance Centers: Preschool LRE Community of Practice www.taccommunities.org National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center www.nectac.org |
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Share information about the knowledge and skills of early childhood educators to facilitate student participation in general education settings. |
2006-11 |
IRIS Center for Faculty Enhancement http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu
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Provide information and technical assistance to schools and preschool providers to promote placement of preschool students in settings with nondisabled peers. |
2005-11 |
Early Childhood Direction Centers |
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Propose State regulations to clarify school district responsibility to provide special education services to preschool students. |
2007 |
SED staff |