Network for Special Programs

Network for Special Programs is a committee of the Blind Brook Ridge Street PTA. We are volunteers dedicated to bringing light to information, resources and support for individuals having learning differences and other life challenges. We

Many children face some difficulties or have developmental delays that can appear during any stage of their development. Such children may have special needs. Any need, whether mild, moderate or severe, can impact classroom function, future educational growth and self-esteem.

Help and support are available. The following information outlines the various age categories and instruments used to detect and navigate the process of needs assessment and assigning remediation.

Age Categories:
Birth – Age 3: If a parent is concerned about her baby or toddler’s development, the parent should first contact the child’s pediatrician. If the parent and/or the pediatrician is concerned about the child’s development, such as concerns regarding speech delays, delays in motor development, feeding, etc., the parent should call Early Intervention (EI) (see below) to schedule a meeting and set up evaluations to determine whether the child is eligible to receive services. If your child is eligible, then you will make a plan together to get help for your child.

Pre-School (Ages 3 – 5): If a parent or pre-school professional is concerned that a child may need special education services, a written referral needs to be sent to the Blind Brook School District Department of Pupil Services requesting an evaluation of the child. That referral is forwarded to the Committee on Pre-School Special Education (CPSE) Chairperson. In addition, children receiving services through EI may transition into CPSE.

School Age (Ages 5 – 21): If you believe your child is having difficulty in school, your first step should be to contact a classroom teacher. School based instructional supports, determined by the school’s Instructional Support Team (IST), or Child Study Team (CST), would be implemented to address the areas of concern, if appropriate. If you collectively agree that further intervention is necessary, the next step would be to submit a written referral to the Committee on Special Education (CSE) to initiate evaluations to determine whether your child is eligible for special education services.

Needs Assessment Committees:
Early Intervention (EI): EI provides family centered services to meet the needs of eligible children, ages birth until age 3, who, through evaluations, are found to have developmental delays that meet the eligibility requirements. EI services are approved by the Westchester County Health Department.

EI Contact Info: Early Intervention Program at the Westchester County Health Department at 914-813-5094. Someone from EI will meet with you and provide guidance to help you choose an agency to conduct the appropriate evaluations, such as speech and language, occupational or physical therapy, and cognitive ability.

Instructional Support Team (IST)/Child Study Team (CST): A struggling student is referred to the IST at Ridge Street School or the CST at the Middle/High School. These teams are made up of general and special education professionals whose purpose is to recommend to classroom teachers general education interventions that might support the struggling student.

Committee on Pre-School Education (CPSE): The CPSE is a team that includes the CPSE Chairperson, parents of the student, pre-school teacher, an individual to interpret the test results, county representative, Parent Member, and other people who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child.

The CPSE Chairperson requests specific evaluations based on a child’s areas of concern. She helps parents coordinate the necessary evaluations from an approved agency. Evaluations are not conducted by the school district. The CPSE committee reviews the evaluation results to determine whether a child should be classified as a preschool student with a disability, and what special education and services would be appropriate for that child. In order to be classified, the student must have a disability that affects his or her ability to learn. A child classified for special education through CPSE will receive an IEP (defined below).

Committee on Special Education (CSE): For any school-age child, the CSE team includes the CSE Chairperson, parents of the student, regular education teacher, special education teacher, an individual to interpret the test results, school psychologist, Parent Member, and other people who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the child. The CSE is responsible for determining whether a child should be classified as a child with a disability. In order to be eligible to be classified, the child must have a disability in one of 13 categories: autism, deafness, deaf-blindness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, learning disability, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment (includes ADHD), speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury or visual impairment (including blindness).

The CSE also determines the educational and related services, accommodations, and modifications that are appropriate for that child, all of which are set forth in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for that child. The services should be implemented in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).

Special Education Law & Regulations:
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004): IDEA 2004 is a federal law that secures special education services for children with disabilities. The purpose of the IDEA 2004 is to “ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique need and prepare them for further education . . .” The CPSE and CSE must follow the law and regulations of IDEA and New York State education law, which differs from IDEA 2004 in certain respects. For more information on federal and state laws and regulations, go online to www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/idea/home.html/.

Section 504: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against an individual with a disability. Section 504 ensures that the child with a disability has equal access to an education. A child may receive accommodations and modifications without being classified for special education, unlike IDEA, which requires classification. The 504 team determines the Section 504 accommodations for the student.

Section 504 does not require the school to provide an IEP. In addition, fewer procedural safeguards are available to children with disabilities and their parents than under IDEA. Also unlike IDEA, the regulations for Section 504 do not require that parents are to be a part of the decision-making committee. See the websites referenced below for additional information regarding Section 504.

Other Definitions:
Evaluations: Evaluations for a school-age child include a psychological report, social history, educational and related services evaluations, classroom observations, report cards and transcripts. Parents will receive a copy of the evaluation reports.

Individualized Education Progam (IEP): The IEP is a written education plan for a pre-school or school-age child classified for special education by the CPSE or CSE. It should be designed to meet each child’s unique needs. It is a legal document that summarizes the student’s strengths and needs, the results of the student’s evaluations, and describes the programs, services, modifications and accommodations that the student will receive during the school year. It will also list goals that the student should be working towards. The student’s parents will receive Progress Notes indicating their child’s progress towards meeting those goals at each marking period.

The IEP is reviewed at least once a year, called an annual review, to determine continued eligibility, the student’s progress, and which programs, services, accommodations, and modifications should be in place for the upcoming school year. If you feel that the IEP does not meet your child’s needs and that a change is needed, you should contact the CPSE or CSE Chairperson to request an IEP review meeting any time during the year. Children with an IEP will be re-evaluated every 3 years with a full battery of tests.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): The LRE means that placement of students with disabilities in special classes, separate schools, or other removal from the regular educational environment only occurs when, due to the nature or severity of a child’s disability, education cannot be achieved even with the use of supplementary aides or services.

Parent Members: They are volunteers approved by the Board of Education to sit in on CPSE/CSE meetings. Their role is to help answer the many questions that might arise throughout the evaluation and IEP review process. Parent Members are not advocates for the parents or the school district. Parent Members attend a training seminar and must have a child in the district or neighboring district who is currently classified for special education or a child who was classified within the last 5 years.

Social Skills in our Schools Program (SOS): SOS is a social skills program that uses a peer mentor model to support students’ social integration into the Blind Brook Community.

What To Do If You Have Concerns About Your Child’s Educational Program: It is important for you to follow the general communications guidelines outlined by the Superintendent. Your first line of communication should begin with your child’s classroom teacher. Following that, you should involve the related service providers, principal or assistant principal, CPSE/CSE Chairperson and the IST, as seen fit. It is in everyone’s best interest to try to collaborate and formulate an agreeable resolution.

If a child is found ineligible for services or if there is disagreement with the IEP, you have due process rights – the right to challenge the decisions of the school regarding your child’s education, following the appropriate law and regulations. You may wish to advocate for your child under the guidance of an experienced child advocate or education attorney.

The following are some websites that are a good source of information regarding special education law and Due Process Rights under IDEA:

Our committee provides informative programs, information on up-to-date legislation on special education law, books on tape for students, networking resources for parents and teachers, and brings parents together for mutual support.

Wed. September 26 -7:30PM RSS – Gene Wolotsky and Debbie Augarten will speak about
updates in Blind Brook District and NY State Education

Thurs. October 25 -9:30AM RSS – “Coffee Talk” with Gene Wolotsky and Debbie Augarten

Mon. January 14 - 7:30PM RSS - Gene Wolotsky and Debbie Augarten to speak about
CPSE/CSE Transition from Preschool to Elementary

Mon. March 3 -7:30PM MS/HS – Gene and Debbie to speak about transitions
Session 1- 7:30-8:30 transition from Elementary to Middle School,
Session 2- 8:30- 9:30 transition from Middle School to High School

For further information or to participate in the committee, please contact any of the following persons: