The State Education Department / The University of the State of New York / Albany, NY 12234
VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
Fiscal and Administrative Services
Coordinator, Central Office Administrative Support Services Team (COASST)
Room 1624, One Commerce Plaza  ·  Albany, NY 12234
Tel. (518) 473-6108, (518) 486-4734

TIME SENSITIVE

Beginning with the 2009 extended school year (July/August), a new procedure will begin for agencies/school districts which propose certain modifications1 to their currently approved Special Class full-day and/or half-day [9000/9010] program(s).  This will require the submission of a completed Extended School Year (July/August) Special Class Modification form within the required date indicated below.  Please refer to the form itself for more detailed instructions.

As a reminder, beginning with the 2007 July/August extended school year, procedures now require the submission of separate application forms for school districts seeking approval for new Special Class full-day and/or half-day [9000/9010] special education programs and/or new or continued approval to operate Non-Special Class [9015] programs. The current procedure for the approval of Non-Special Class programs requires the annual submission of a completed application form for review and approval for each Non-Special Class Program a district proposes to operate during a July/August extended school year.

In accordance with Section 4408 of the New York State Education Law, the State Education Department (SED) must review and approve requests for reimbursement of extended school year (July/August) special education programs and/or services. Prior approval by the Department is required for districts to be eligible for reimbursement of public funds.

School district/agency personnel are asked to prepare and submit the above application form(s) and/or special class modification forms by June 30, 2009, containing all of the required information requested therein for either type of program model.  Approval by the State Education Department (SED) is required for the reimbursement of public funds.  Please note that public funds will not be reimbursed retroactively to a school district if it operated a program/service(s) without prior approval by the Department. Application packets and/or special class modification forms must be submitted by the above date.  This is necessary to allow SED staff enough time to review the application/proposed modification materials and clarify any questions pertaining to the district’s proposed ESY program model prior to the beginning operation date the proposed program is scheduled to begin.

The Extended School Year application packet will be available on the VESID website at the following web addresses: www.vesid.nysed.gov/spedfin/ or www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/applications/home.html

If your agency wishes to propose a new Special Class full day and/or half-day program, a new or continuing Non-Special Class program and/or if it wishes to modify the agency’s currently approved Special Class full day and/or half day program(s), please submit the appropriate application materials as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for review of the by Department staff but no later than June 30, 2009.

Please return each completed application and/or proposed special class modification form to:

New York State Education Department
VESID/Central Office Administrative Support Services Team
Attention: Section 4408 J/A Extended School Year Application Review
One Commerce Plaza - Room 1624
Albany, NY 12234

Thank you for your attention to this new procedure.  If you have any questions, please contact Robert P. Waxman or Linda Keech of the Central Office Administrative Support Services Team at (518) 473-6108 or your Regional Associate at:

Western Regional Office                   (585) 344-2002
Central (Syracuse) Regional Office   (315) 476-5081
Eastern (Albany) Regional Office      (518) 486-6366
Hudson Valley Regional Office          (518) 473-1185
New York City Regional Office           (718) 722-4544
Long Island Regional Office              (631) 884-8530
Non-District Unit                                (518) 473-1185