Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a)
Referral.
A student suspected of having a disability shall be
referred in writing to the chairperson of the district's committee on special
education or to the building administrator of the school which the student
attends or is eligible to attend for an individual evaluation and determination
of eligibility for special education programs and services. The school district
must initiate a referral and promptly request parental consent to evaluate the
student to determine if the student needs special education services and
programs if a student has not made adequate progress after an appropriate
period of time when provided instruction as described in section
100.2(ii) of this
Title.
(1) Referral for an initial
evaluation. A referral may be made by:
(i) a
student's parent as defined in section
200.1(ii) of this
Part;
(ii) a designee of the school
district in which the student resides, or the public school district the
student legally attends or is eligible to attend;
(iii) the commissioner or designee of a
public agency with responsibility for the education of the student;
and/or
(iv) a designee of an
education program affiliated with a child care institution with committee on
special education responsibility pursuant to section
4002
(3) of the Education Law.
(2) Request for referral for an
initial evaluation.
(i) A written request
that the school district or agency refer the student for an initial evaluation
pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subdivision may be made by:
(a) a professional staff member of the school
district in which the student resides, or the public or private school the
student legally attends or is eligible to attend;
(b) a licensed physician;
(c) a judicial officer;
(d) a professional staff member of a public
agency with responsibility for welfare, health or education of children;
or
(e) a student who is 18 years of
age or older, or an emancipated minor, who is eligible to attend the public
schools of the district.
(ii) A written request for referral of a
student for an initial evaluation made to the school where the student resides
or legally attends or is eligible to attend shall, if received by the building
administrator or any other employee of the school, be forwarded to the
committee chairperson immediately upon its receipt.
(iii) A written request for referral
submitted by persons other than the student or a judicial officer shall:
(a) state the reasons for the referral and
include any test results, records or reports upon which the referral is based
that may be in the possession of the person submitting the referral;
(b) describe in writing, intervention
services, programs or instructional methodologies used to remediate the
student's performance prior to referral, including any supplementary aids or
support services provided for this purpose, or state the reasons why no such
attempts were made; and
(c)
describe the extent of parental contact or involvement prior to the
referral.
(iv) Upon
receipt of a request for a referral that meets the requirements of subparagraph
(iii) of this paragraph, the school district shall, within 10 school days,
either:
(a) request parent consent to
initiate the evaluation; or
(b)
provide the parent with a copy of such request for referral; and
(1) inform the parent of his or her right to
refer the student for an initial evaluation for special education programs
and/or services; and
(2) offer the
parent the opportunity to meet to discuss the request for referral and, as
appropriate, the availability of appropriate general education support services
for the student, with the building administrator or other designee of the
school district authorized to make a referral pursuant to paragraph (1) of this
subdivision, and the party making the request for referral if a professional
staff member of the school district. Upon request of the parent or school
district, any other person making a request for referral shall have the
opportunity to attend such meeting.
(3) The date of receipt of a
referral means the date on which either the committee chairperson or
the building administrator receives the referral, whichever is
earlier.
(4) If a referral is
received by the building administrator, it shall be forwarded to the committee
chairperson immediately upon its receipt by the administrator.
(5) If a referral is received by the
committee chairperson, a copy shall be forwarded to the building administrator
within five school days of its receipt by the committee chairperson.
(6) A committee chairperson who receives a
referral shall immediately notify the parent pursuant to section
200.5(a) of this
Part.
(7) In the event that the
parent and the person submitting the referral pursuant to subparagraphs
(1)(ii), (iii) and/or (iv) of this subdivision agree in writing pursuant to
section 200.5(b)(1)(i)
(c) of this Part that the referral shall be withdrawn, the
chairperson of the committee on special education shall provide the parent and
the referring person a copy of the agreement. Each such agreement shall specify
any alternative methods suggested to resolve the identified learning difficulty
of the student and shall provide the opportunity for a follow-up conference
within an agreed period of time to review the student's progress. A copy of the
agreement shall also be placed in the student's cumulative educational record
file.
(8) Except as otherwise
provided in section
200.5(b)(6) of
this Part, in the absence of a written agreement to withdraw a referral, as
described in paragraph (7) of this subdivision, and in the event that parental
consent to an initial evaluation is not obtained within 30 days of the date of
receipt of referral, the chairperson shall document attempts, including, but
not limited to, telephone calls made or attempted and the results of those
calls and correspondence set to the parents and any responses received, made by
the chairperson or other representatives of the committee to obtain parental
consent, and shall notify the board of education that they may utilize the due
process procedures described in section
200.5 of this Part to permit the
district to conduct an evaluation of the student without the consent of the
parent.
(9) The building
administrator, upon receipt of a referral or copy of a referral, may request a
meeting with the parent and the student, if appropriate, to determine whether
the student would benefit from additional general education support services as
an alternative to special education, including the provision of support
services, speech and language services, academic intervention services, and any
other services designed to address the learning needs of the student and
maintain a student's placement in general education with the provision of
appropriate educational and support services.
(i) If a professional staff member requested
the referral that person shall attend such meeting. The building administrator
shall ensure that the parent understands the proceedings of the meeting and
shall arrange for the presence of an interpreter, if necessary. If at such
meeting the parent and the building administrator agree in writing that, with
the provision of additional general education support services, the referral is
unwarranted, the referral shall be deemed withdrawn, and the building
administrator shall provide the chairperson of the committee on special
education, the person who made the request for referral if a professional staff
member of the school district, the parent and the student, if appropriate, with
copies of the agreement.
(ii) The
copy of the agreement provided to the parent shall be in the native language of
such person. Such agreement shall contain a description of the additional
general education support services to be provided, instructional strategies to
be used and student centered data to be collected and the proposed duration of
such program. A copy of the agreement shall also be placed in the student's
cumulative education record file.
(iii) The meeting:
(a) shall be conducted within 10 school days
of the building administrator's receipt of the referral; and
(b) shall not impede a committee on special
education from continuing its duties and functions under this Part.
(b)
Individual evaluation and
reevaluation.
(1) Unless a referral
for an evaluation submitted by a parent or a school district is withdrawn
pursuant to paragraph (a)(7) or (9) of this section, after parental consent has
been obtained or a parental refusal to consent is overridden, an individual
evaluation of the referred student shall be initiated by a committee on special
education. The initial individual evaluation shall be completed within 60 days
of receipt of consent unless extended by mutual agreement of the student's
parents and the CSE pursuant to subparagraph (7)(i) and paragraph (j)(1) of
this subdivision. The individual evaluation shall include a variety of
assessment tools and strategies, including information provided by the parent,
to gather relevant functional, developmental and academic information about the
student that may assist in determining whether the student is a student with a
disability and the content of the student's individualized education program,
including information related to enabling the student to participate and
progress in the general education curriculum (or for a preschool child, to
participate in appropriate activities). The individual evaluation must be at no
cost to the parent, and the initial evaluation must include at least:
(i) a physical examination in accordance with
the provisions of sections
903,
904 and
905 of the
Education Law;
(ii) an individual
psychological evaluation, except when a school psychologist determines after an
assessment of a school-age student, pursuant to paragraph (2) of this
subdivision, that further evaluation is unnecessary;
(iii) prior to releasing any personally
identifiable information as described in subdivision (e) of this section, in
accordance with sections
200.2(b)(6) and
200.4(h) and (i)
of this Part;
(iv) an observation
of the student in the student's learning environment (including the regular
classroom setting) or, in the case of a student of less than school-age or out
of school, an environment appropriate for a student of that age, to document
the student's academic performance and behavior in the areas of difficulty;
and
(v) other appropriate
assessments or evaluations, including a functional behavioral assessment for a
student whose behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others, as
necessary to ascertain the physical, mental, behavioral and emotional factors
which contribute to the suspected disabilities.
(2) A determination by a school psychologist
of the need to administer an individual psychological evaluation to a student
of school-age pursuant to Education Law, section 4402(1)(b)(3)(a) and section
200.1(aa) and (bb)
of this Part, shall be based upon an assessment conducted by the school
psychologist to substantiate his or her determination. Whenever a school
psychologist determines that a psychological evaluation is unnecessary, as a
component of the initial evaluation, the psychologist shall prepare a written
report of such assessment, including a statement of the reasons such evaluation
is unnecessary, which shall be reviewed by the committee.
(3) Notwithstanding any provisions of this
subdivision or section
200.1(aa) of this
Part to the contrary, the committee on special education may direct that
additional evaluations or assessments be conducted in order to appropriately
assess the student in all areas related to the suspected
disabilities.
(4) A committee on
special education shall arrange for an appropriate reevaluation of each student
with a disability if the school district determines that the educational or
related services needs, including improved academic achievement and functional
performance of the student, warrant a reevaluation or if the student's parent
or teacher requests a reevaluation, but not more frequently than once a year
unless the parent and representative of the school district appointed to the
committee on special education agree otherwise; and at least once every three
years, except where the school district and the parent agree in writing that
such reevaluation is unnecessary. The reevaluation shall be conducted by a
multidisciplinary team or group of persons, including at least one teacher or
other specialist with knowledge in the area of the student's disability. In
accordance with paragraph (5) of this subdivision, the reevaluation shall be
sufficient to determine the student's individual needs, educational progress
and achievement, the student's ability to participate in instructional programs
in regular education and the student's continuing eligibility for special
education. The results of any reevaluations must be addressed by the committee
on special education in a meeting to review and, as appropriate, revise the
student's IEP. To the extent possible, the school district shall encourage the
consolidation of reevaluation meetings for the student and other committee on
special education meetings for the student.
(5) Determination of needed evaluation data.
(i) As a part of an initial evaluation, if
appropriate, and as part of any reevaluation in accordance with section
200.4(b)(4) of
this Part, a group that includes the committee on special education, and other
qualified professionals, as appropriate, shall review existing evaluation data
on the student, including evaluations and information provided by the parents
of the student, current classroom-based assessments, local or State
assessments, classroom-based observations, and observations by teachers and
related services providers. The group may conduct its review without a
meeting.
(ii) On the basis of that
review, and input from the student's parents, the committee on special
education and other qualified professionals, as appropriate, shall identify
what additional data, if any, are needed to determine:
(a) whether the student has a disability as
defined in section
200.1(mm) or (zz)
of this Part, or, in the case of a reevaluation of a student, whether the
student continues to have such a disability;
(b) the present levels of academic
achievement and related developmental needs of the student, including the four
areas listed in section
200.1(ww)(3)(i) of
this Part;
(c) whether the student
needs special education, or, in the case of a reevaluation of a student,
whether the student continues to need special education; and
(d) whether any additions or modifications to
the special education services are needed to enable the student to meet the
measurable annual goals set out in the IEP of the student and to participate,
as appropriate, in the general curriculum.
(iii) The school district shall administer
tests and other evaluation materials as may be needed to produce the data
identified under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph.
(iv) If additional data are not needed, the
school district must notify the parents of that determination and the reasons
for it and of the right of the parents to request an assessment to determine
whether, for purposes of services under this Part, the student continues to be
a student with a disability and to determine the student's educational needs.
The school district is not required to conduct the assessment unless requested
to do so by the student's parents.
(6) School districts shall ensure that:
(i) assessments and other evaluation
materials used to assess a student under this section:
(a) are provided and administered in the
student's native language or other mode of communication and in the form most
likely to yield accurate information on what the student knows and can do
academically, developmentally and functionally, unless it is clearly not
feasible to so provide or administer;
(b) are used for purposes for which the
assessments or measures are valid and reliable;
(c) are administered by trained and
knowledgeable personnel in accordance with the instruction provided by those
who developed such assessments; and
(d) are selected and administered so as not
to be discriminatory on a racial or cultural basis;
(ii) if an assessment is not conducted under
standard conditions, a description of the extent to which it varied from
standard conditions (e.g., the qualifications of the person
administering the test, or the method of test administration) must be included
in the evaluation report;
(iii)
assessments and other evaluation materials include those tailored to assess
specific areas of educational need and not merely those which are designed to
provide a general intelligence quotient;
(iv) assessments are selected and
administered to ensure that, when an assessment is administered to a student
with impaired sensory, manual or speaking skills, the assessment results
accurately reflect the student's aptitude or achievement level or whatever
other factors the test purports to measure, rather than reflecting the
student's impaired sensory, manual or speaking skills, except where those
skills are factors which the test purports to measure;
(v) no single measure or assessment is used
as the sole criterion for determining whether a student is a student with a
disability or for determining an appropriate educational program for a
student;
(vi) the evaluation is
made by a multidisciplinary team or group of persons, including at least one
teacher or other specialist with certification or knowledge in the area of the
suspected disability;
(vii) the
student is 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 and motor abilities;
(viii) students age 12 and those referred to
special education for the first time who are age 12 and over, shall receive an
assessment that includes a review of school records and teacher assessments,
and parent and student interviews to determine vocational skills, aptitudes and
interests;
(ix) the evaluation is
sufficiently comprehensive to identify all of the student's special education
needs, whether or not commonly linked to the disability category in which the
student has been identified;
(x)
technically sound instruments are used that may assess the relative
contribution of cognitive and behavioral factors, in addition to physical or
developmental factors;
(xi)
assessment tools and strategies are used that provide relevant information that
directly assists persons in determining the educational needs of the
student;
(xii) the results of the
evaluation are provided to the parents in their native language or mode of
communication, unless it is clearly not feasible to do so;
(xiii) for purposes of eligibility and
continuing eligibility determinations, a copy of the evaluation report and the
documentation of determination of eligibility are provided at no cost to the
parent;
(xiv) the procedures for
evaluating students suspected of having a learning disability are in accordance
with subdivision (j) of this section;
(xv) the procedures for conducting expedited
evaluations are conducted pursuant to section
201.6 of this Title;
(xvi) materials and procedures used to assess
a student with limited English proficiency are selected and administered to
ensure that they measure the extent to which the student has a disability and
needs special education, rather than measure the student's English language
skills; and
(xvii) assessments of
students with disabilities who transfer from one school district to another
school district in the same school year are coordinated with such student's
prior and subsequent schools, as necessary, and as expeditiously as possible to
ensure prompt completion of full evaluations.
(7) The initial evaluation to determine if a
student is a student with a disability must be completed within 60 days of
receiving parental consent for the evaluation. The 60-day timeframe shall not
apply if:
(i) a student enrolls in a school
served by the school district after the relevant timeframe in this paragraph
has begun and prior to a determination by the student's previous school
district as to whether the student is a student with a disability, but only if
the subsequent school district is making sufficient progress to ensure a prompt
completion of the evaluation, and the parent and subsequent school district
agree in writing to a specific time when the evaluation will be completed;
or
(ii) the parent of a student
repeatedly fails or refuses to produce the student for the
evaluation.
(8) The
screening of a student by a teacher or specialist to determine appropriate
instructional strategies for curriculum implementation shall not be considered
to be an evaluation for eligibility for special education.
(9) No student shall be required to obtain a
prescription for a drug or other substance identified under schedule I, II,
III, IV, or V in section 202(c) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C.
812 [c]) as a condition of receiving an
evaluation under this Part (United States Code, 2006 edition,
volume 13; Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Stop
SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001; 2008 - available at the Office of Counsel, New
York State Education Department, State Education Building, Room 148, 89
Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234).
(c)
Eligibility determinations.
(1) In interpreting evaluation data for the
purpose of determining if a student is a student with a disability, as defined
in section 200.1(mm) or (zz)
of this Part, and determining the educational needs of the student, the
committee on special education and other qualified individuals must draw upon
information from a variety of sources, including aptitude and achievement
tests, parent input, and teacher recommendations, as well as information about
the student's physical condition, social or cultural background, and adaptive
behavior; and ensure that information obtained from all these sources is
documented and carefully considered. The school district must provide a copy of
the evaluation report and the documentation of eligibility to the student's
parent.
(2) A student shall not be
determined eligible for special education if the determinant factor is:
(i) lack of appropriate instruction in
reading, including explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness,
phonics, vocabulary development, reading fluency (including oral reading
skills) and reading comprehension strategies;
(ii) lack of appropriate instruction in math;
or
(iii) limited English
proficiency.
(3) A
school district must evaluate a student with a disability prior to determining
that the student is no longer a student with a disability, in accordance with
paragraph (b)(4) of this section, and the school district must provide a copy
of the evaluation report and the documentation of eligibility to the student's
parent.
(4) A school district is
not required to conduct a reevaluation of a student before the termination of a
student's eligibility due to graduation with a local high school or Regents
diploma or exceeding the age eligibility for a free appropriate public
education but is required to provide such student with a summary of the
student's academic achievement and functional performance, which shall include
recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting his or her
postsecondary goals.
(5) A free
appropriate public education must be available to any student with a disability
who needs special education and related services, even though the student is
advancing from grade to grade.
(6)
The determination that a student has a learning disability as defined in
section 200.1(zz)(6) of
this Part shall be made pursuant to subdivision (j) of this section.
(d)
Recommendation.
For a student not previously identified as having a
disability, the committee on special education shall provide a recommendation
to the board of education, which shall arrange for the appropriate special
education programs and services to be provided to the student with a disability
within 60 school days of the receipt of consent to evaluate. For a student with
a disability referred for review pursuant to subdivision (f) of this section, a
recommendation shall be provided to the board of education, which shall arrange
for the appropriate special education programs and services to be provided to
the student with a disability within 60 school days of the referral for review
of the student with a disability. Prior to the development of a recommendation,
the committee shall ensure that the appropriateness of reading and math
instruction and other resources of the regular education program, including
support services, and academic intervention services, has been considered. Such
60-day time period under this subdivision shall not include any day(s) that
such school is closed pursuant to an Executive Order of the Governor issued
pursuant to a State of emergency for the COVID-19 crisis.
(1) If the student has been determined to be
ineligible for special education, the recommendation shall indicate the reasons
the student was found ineligible.
(i) A copy
of the recommendation and appropriate evaluation information shall be provided
to the building administrator. The building administrator shall determine which
support services, if appropriate, shall be provided to the student.
(ii) A copy of the recommendation shall be
provided to the parent pursuant to section
200.5(a) of this
Part.
(iii) If the student has been
receiving special education services, but it is determined by the committee on
special education that the student no longer needs special education services
and can be placed in a regular educational program on a full-time basis, the
recommendation shall:
(a) identify the
declassification support services, as defined in section
200.1(ooo) of this
Part, if any, to be provided to the student; and/or the student's teachers;
and
(b) indicate the projected date
of initiation of such services, the frequency of provision of such services,
and the duration of such services, provided that such services shall not
continue for more than one year after the student enters the full-time regular
education program.
(2) Individualized education program (IEP).
If the student has been determined to be eligible for special education
services, the committee shall develop an IEP. IEPs developed for the 2011-12
school year, and thereafter, shall be on a form prescribed by the commissioner.
In developing the recommendations for the IEP, the committee must consider the
results of the initial or most recent evaluation; the student's strengths; the
concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child; the
academic, developmental and functional needs of the student, including, as
appropriate, the results of the student's performance on any general State or
districtwide assessment programs; and any special considerations in paragraph
(3) of this subdivision. The IEP recommendation shall include the following:
(i) Present levels of performance. The IEP
shall report the present levels of academic achievement and functional
performance and indicate the individual needs of the student according to each
of the four areas listed in section
200.1(ww)(3)(i) of
this Part, including:
(a) how the student's
disability affects involvement and progress in the general education
curriculum; or
(b) for preschool
students, as appropriate, how the disability affects the student's
participation in appropriate activities.
(ii) Disability classification. The IEP shall
indicate the classification of the disability pursuant to section
200.1(mm) or (zz)
of this Part.
(iii) Measurable
annual goals.
(a) The IEP shall list
measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals, consistent
with the student's needs and abilities. The measurable annual goals must relate
to:
(1) meeting the student's needs that
result from the student's disability to enable the student to be involved in
and progress in the general education curriculum; and
(2) meeting each of the student's other
educational needs that result from the student's disability;
(b) Each annual goal shall include
the evaluative criteria, evaluation procedures and schedules to be used to
measure progress toward meeting the annual goal during the period beginning
with placement and ending with the next scheduled review by the
committee.
(c) The IEP shall
identify when periodic reports on the progress the student is making toward the
annual goals (such as through the use of quarterly or other periodic reports
that are concurrent with the issuance of report cards) will be provided to the
student's parents.
(iv)
Short-term instructional objectives and benchmarks. For a student who takes a
New York State alternate assessment and for each preschool student with a
disability, the IEP shall include a description of the short-term instructional
objectives and/or benchmarks that are the measurable intermediate steps between
the student's present level of performance and the measurable annual
goal.
(v) Special education program
and services.
(a) The IEP shall indicate the
recommended special education program and services as defined in section
200.1(qq) and (ww)
of this Part from the options set forth in section
200.6 of this Part or, for
preschool students from those options set forth in section
200.16(i) of this
Part, and the supplementary aids and services as defined in section
200.1(bbb) of this
Part that will be provided for the student:
(1) to advance appropriately toward attaining
the annual goals;
(2) to be
involved and progress in the general education curriculum and to participate in
extracurricular and other nonacademic activities; and
(3) to be educated and participate with other
students with disabilities and nondisabled students in the activities described
in this section.
(b) The
recommended program and services shall, to the extent practicable, be based on
peer-reviewed research, and as appropriate indicate:
(1) the regular education classes in which
the student will receive consultant teacher services;
(2) the class size, as defined in section
200.1(i) of this
Part, if appropriate;
(3) the
supplementary aids and services and program modifications to be provided to the
student or on behalf of the student;
(4) a statement of supports for school
personnel on behalf of the student;
(5) the extent to which the student's parents
will receive parent counseling and training as defined in section
200.1(kk) of this
Part, when appropriate;
(6) any
assistive technology devices or services needed for the student to benefit from
education, including the use of such devices in the student's home or in other
settings;
(7) the anticipated
frequency, duration and location and, for a preschool student with a
disability, the intensity for each of the recommended programs and services,
including the supplementary aids and services and program modifications to be
provided to or on behalf of the student;
(8) if the recommendation for a preschool
student is for one or more related services selected from the list maintained
by the municipality, or itinerant services, the child care location arranged by
the parent or other site at which each service shall be provided; and
(9) the projected date for initiation of the
recommended special education program and services.
(vi) Testing accommodations. The
IEP shall provide a statement of any individual testing accommodations to be
used consistently by the student in the recommended educational program and in
the administration of districtwide assessments of student achievement and, in
accordance with department policy, State assessments of student achievement
that are necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional
performance of the student.
(vii)
Participation in State and districtwide assessments. If the student will
participate in an alternate assessment on a particular State or districtwide
assessment of student achievement, the IEP shall provide a statement of why the
student cannot participate in the regular assessment and why the particular
alternate assessment selected is appropriate for the student.
(viii) Participation in regular class. The
IEP shall provide:
(a) an explanation of the
extent, if any, to which the student will not participate with nondisabled
students in the regular class and in the activities described in subparagraph
(v) of this paragraph; or
(b) for
preschool students, an explanation of the extent, if any, to which the student
will not participate in appropriate activities with age-appropriate nondisabled
peers;
(c) identify if the
provision of IEP services for a preschool child with a disability will be in a
setting with no regular contact with age-appropriate peers without
disabilities; and
(d) if a student
is not participating in a regular physical education program, the extent to
which the student will participate in specially-designed instruction in
physical education, including adapted physical education.
(ix) Transition services.
(a) For those students beginning not later
than the first IEP to be in effect when the student is age 15 (and at a younger
age, if determined appropriate), and updated annually, the IEP shall, under the
applicable components of the student's IEP, include:
(1) under the student's present levels of
performance, a statement of the student's needs, taking into account the
student's strengths, preferences and interests, as they relate to transition
from school to post-school activities as defined in section
200.1(fff) of this
Part;
(2) appropriate measurable
postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments relating
to training, education, employment and, where appropriate, independent living
skills;
(3) a statement of the
transition service needs of the student that focuses on the student's courses
of study, such as participation in advanced-placement courses or a vocational
education program;
(4) needed
activities to facilitate the student's movement from school to post-school
activities, including instruction, related services, community experiences, the
development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives and,
when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational
evaluation; and
(5) a statement of
the responsibilities of the school district and, when applicable, participating
agencies for the provision of such services and activities that promote
movement from school to postschool opportunities, or both, before the student
leaves the school setting.
(b) To ensure appropriate transition planning
for the student, the development of transition goals and services pursuant to
clause (
a) of this subparagraph, shall include a discussion
with the student's parents of:
(1) the
graduation requirements that apply to the student depending upon the year in
which he or she first enters grade nine;
(2) how the student is progressing toward
receipt of a diploma including:
(i) the
courses the student has passed and the number of credits the student has earned
as required for graduation;
(ii)
the assessments required for graduation that the student has taken and passed;
and
(3) the appeal,
safety net and superintendent determination options that may be available to
the student through section
100.5 of this Title to allow the
student to meet the graduation assessment requirements.
(c) At the CSE meeting in which transition
services will be discussed, the student's parents shall be provided with
written information explaining the graduation requirements. Such information
must include the eligibility criteria and processes for seeking an appeal to
graduate with a lower score on a Regents examination and for requesting that a
student be considered for a local diploma through the superintendent
determination pathway pursuant to section
100.5 of this Title. Parents shall
also be informed that graduation from high school with a local diploma or
Regents diploma shall terminate their child's entitlement to a free public
education pursuant to Education Law section 3202(1) and their eligibility for
special education services pursuant to this Part.
(x) Twelve-month services. For students
eligible for 12-month service and/or program, the IEP shall indicate the
identity of the provider of services during the months of July and August, and,
for preschool students determined by the committee on preschool special
education to require a structured learning environment of 12 months duration to
prevent substantial regression, a statement of the reasons for such
recommendation.
(xi) Projected date
of annual review. The IEP shall indicate the projected date of the review of
the student's need for such services.
(xii) Placement. The IEP shall indicate the
recommended placement.
(3) Consideration of special factors. The CSE
shall:
(i) in the case of a student whose
behavior impedes his or her learning or that of others, consider strategies,
including positive behavioral interventions, and supports and other strategies
to address that behavior that are consistent with the requirements in section
200.22 of this Part;
(ii) in the case of a student with limited
English proficiency, consider the language needs of the student as such needs
relate to the student's IEP;
(iii)
in the case of a student who is blind or visually impaired, provide for
instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless the CSE determines, after
an evaluation of the student's reading and writing skills, needs, and
appropriate reading and writing media (including an evaluation of the student's
future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille), that
instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the
student;
(iv) consider the
communication needs of the student, and in the case of a student who is deaf or
hard of hearing, consider the student's language and communication needs,
opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel
in the student's language and communication mode, academic level, and full
range of needs, including opportunities for direct instruction in the student's
language and communication mode;
(v) consider whether the student requires
assistive technology devices and services, including whether the use of
school-purchased assistive technology devices is required to be used in the
student's home or in other settings in order for the student to receive a free
appropriate public education;
(vi)
include a statement in the IEP if, in considering the special factors described
in this paragraph, the committee has determined a student needs a particular
device or service (including an intervention, accommodation, or other program
modification) in order for the student to receive a free appropriate public
education; and
(vii) prior to the
IEP recommendation of assignment of additional supplementary school personnel
(or one-to-one aide) to meet the individualized needs of a student with a
disability, consider:
(a) the management
needs of the student that would require a significant degree of individualized
attention and intervention;
(b) the
skills and goals the student would need to achieve that will reduce or
eliminate the need for the one-to-one aide;
(c) the specific support
(e.g., assistance with personal hygiene or behaviors that
impede learning) that the one-to-one aide would provide for the
student;
(d) other supports,
accommodations and/or services that could support the student to meet these
needs (e.g., behavioral intervention plan; environmental
accommodations or modifications; instructional materials in alternate formats;
assistive technology devices; peer-to-peer supports);
(e) the extent (e.g.,
portions of the school day) or circumstances (e.g., for
transitions from class to class) the student would need the assistance of a
one-to-one aide;
(f) staff ratios
in the setting where the student will attend school;
(g) the extent to which assignment of a
one-to-one aide might enable the student to be educated with nondisabled
students and, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the least restrictive
environment;
(h) any potential
harmful effect on the student or on the quality of services that he or she
needs that might result from the assignment of a one-to-one aide; and
(i) the training and support that shall be
provided to the one-to-one aide to help the one-to-one aide understand the
student's disability-related needs, learn effective strategies for addressing
the student's needs, and acquire the necessary skills to support the
implementation of the student's individualized education program.
Nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed to prohibit
or limit the assignment of shared one-to-one aides at the discretion of the
school to meet the individualized needs of students whose IEPs include the
recommendation for one-to-one aides. The duties of a teacher aide or teaching
assistant providing individualized support to a student with a disability shall
be consistent with the duties prescribed pursuant to section
80-5.6 of this
Title.
(4) Such recommendations shall:
(i) be developed in meetings of the committee
on special education.
(a) if the recommended
placement is to be in a school operated by an agency or school other than the
school district in which the student would normally attend if the student did
not have a disability or if the education of a student residing in a facility
operated or supervised by a State department or agency is the responsibility of
the school district, the school district must ensure that a representative of
that agency or school attends. If the private school or facility representative
cannot attend, the school district must use other methods to ensure
participation by the private school or facility, including individual or
conference telephone calls;
(b)
where a child is determined to be at risk of a future placement in a
residential school, the committee must, with parental consent or consent of a
student 18 years of age or older, request in writing that a designee of the
appropriate county or State agency participate in any proceeding of the
committee to make recommendations concerning the appropriateness of residential
placement and other programs and placement alternatives, including but not
limited to, community support services that may be available to the family. The
committee must notify the local social services district when a student who is
in a foster care placement is at risk of a future placement in a residential
school. A copy of such request must be forwarded to the Office of Mental Health
and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. In the event that
such persons are unable to attend such meetings, the committee shall attempt
alternative means allowing for their participation, such as individual or
conference telephone discussions, and such attempts shall be
documented;
(c) if the purpose of
the meeting is to consider the postsecondary goals for the student and the
transition services needed to assist the student in reaching those goals, the
school district shall invite the student. If the student does not attend, the
district shall take steps to ensure that the student's preferences and
interests are considered. To the extent appropriate and with parental consent
or consent if a student 18 years of age or older, the school district must
invite a representative of any participating agency that is likely to be
responsible for providing or paying for transition services. If an agency
invited to send a representative to a meeting does not do so, the district
should take steps to involve the other agency in the planning of any transition
services;
(d) when conducting a
meeting of the committee on special education, the parent and the
representative of the school district appointed to the committee on special
education may agree to use alternative means of meeting participation, such as
videoconferences and conference calls;
(ii) be developed in conformity with the
least restrictive environment provisions of this Part:
(a) placement shall be based on the student's
individualized education program and determined at least annually;
(b) placement shall be as close as possible
to the student's home, and unless the student's individualized education
program requires some other arrangement, the student shall be educated in the
school he or she would have attended if not disabled;
(c) in selecting the least restrictive
environment, consideration must be given to any potential harmful effect on the
student or on the quality of services that he or she needs; and
(d) a student with a disability must not be
removed from education in age-appropriate regular classrooms solely because of
needed modifications in the general education curriculum.
(5) A report of the evaluation
upon which the recommendation is based shall be forwarded to the board of
education along with the recommendation.
(6) In the event that the parent does not
choose to participate in the development of such recommendations, the committee
shall forward its recommendation to the board of education and the parents as
otherwise required by this subdivision.
(e)
IEP implementation.
(1) Within 60 school days of the receipt of
consent to evaluate for a student not previously identified as having a
disability, or within 60 school days of the referral for review of the student
with a disability, the board of education shall arrange for appropriate special
programs and services, except that if such recommendation is for placement in
an approved in-state or out-of-state private school, the board shall arrange
for such programs and services within 30 school days of the board's receipt of
the recommendation of the committee. Such 60-day and 30-day time periods
required by this paragraph shall not include any day(s) that such school is
closed pursuant to an Executive Order of the Governor issued pursuant to a
State of emergency for the COVID-19 crisis.
(i) There may be no delay in implementing a
student's IEP, including any case in which the payment source for providing or
paying for special education to the student is being determined.
(ii) The school district shall ensure that
each student with a disability has an IEP in effect at the beginning of each
school year.
(2) If on
review of the recommendation of a committee on special education or a
subcommittee on special education, the board of education disagrees with such
recommendation, the board of education shall follow one of the following
procedures:
(i) the board may remand the
recommendation to the committee or subcommittee with a statement of the board's
objections or concerns and a request that a timely meeting be held to review
and consider such objections or concerns. The committee or subcommittee shall
consider the board's objections or concerns, revise the IEP where appropriate,
and resubmit a recommendation to the board. If the board continues to disagree
with the recommendation of the committee or subcommittee, the board may
continue to remand the recommendation to the original committee or subcommittee
for additional reviews of its objections or concerns, or establish a second
committee or subcommittee to develop a new recommendation in accordance with
subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, provided that the board arranges for the
programs and services in accordance with the student's IEP within 60 school
days of receipt of consent to evaluate for a student not previously identified
as having a disability, or within 60 school days of the referral for review of
the student with a disability; or
(ii) the board may establish a second
committee on special education or subcommittee to develop a new recommendation
for the student at a meeting held in accordance with the procedures prescribed
in this Part. If the board disagrees with such new recommendation, the board
may remand the recommendation to such second committee or subcommittee with a
statement of the board's objections or concerns and a request that a timely
meeting be held to review and consider such objections or concerns. Such second
committee or subcommittee shall consider the board's objections or concerns,
revise the IEP where appropriate, and resubmit a recommendation to the board.
If the board continues to disagree with the recommendation of such second
committee or subcommittee, the board may continue to remand the recommendation
for additional reviews of its objections or concerns by such second committee
or subcommittee, provided that the board arranges for the programs and services
in accordance with the student's IEP, as developed by such second committee or
subcommittee, within 60 school days of receipt of consent to evaluate for a
student not previously identified as having a disability, or within 60 school
days of the referral for review of the student with a disability. Nothing in
this paragraph shall be construed to authorize the board to select the
recommendation of the original committee or subcommittee once it has
established a second committee or subcommittee to make a new recommendation for
the student pursuant to this subparagraph.
(3) The school district shall ensure that the
recommendations on a student's IEP, including changes to the IEP made pursuant
to subdivision (g) of this section, are implemented, including but not limited
to:
(i) ensuring that each regular education
teacher, special education teacher, related service provider, and/or other
service provider, as defined in section
200.2(b)(10)(i)(a)
of this Part, who is responsible for the implementation of a student's IEP, is
provided a paper or electronic copy of the IEP prior to the implementation of
such IEP or shall be able to access such student's IEP electronically. If the
board of education or board of trustees adopts a policy that the student's IEP
is to be accessed electronically, then such policy shall also ensure that the
individuals responsible for the implementation of a student's IEP shall be
notified and trained on how to access such IEPs electronically;
(ii) ensuring that supplementary school
personnel, as defined in section
200.1(hh) of this
Part, and each other provider responsible for assisting in the implementation
of a student's IEP, has the opportunity to review a copy of the student's IEP,
prior to the implementation of such program, and has ongoing access to a copy
of the IEP, which may be the copy provided to the student's special education
teacher or the teacher or related service provider under whose direction such
supplementary school personnel or other provider works;
(iii) ensuring that each regular education
teacher, special education teacher, related service provider, other service
provider, supplementary school personnel as defined in section
200.1(hh) of this
Part, and other provider and support staff person has been informed, prior to
the implementation of the IEP, of his or her responsibility to implement the
recommendations on the student's IEP, including the responsibility to provide
specific accommodations, program modifications, supports and/or services for
the student in accordance with the IEP; and
(iv) ensuring that a copy of the IEP is
provided to the student's parents, including a revised copy of the IEP at the
parent's request with the amendments developed pursuant to subdivision (g) of
this section incorporated, at no cost to the student's parents.
(4) If the student's parent,
teacher or an administrator of the school or agency believes that the program
or placement recommended in the IEP is no longer appropriate, such party may
refer the student to the committee on special education for review, provided
that the student shall remain in the current placement pending a new
recommendation of the committee on special education, unless the board and
parent otherwise agree.
(5) When
consultant teacher services are specified in a student's IEP, the regular
education teachers of the student for whom the service will be provided shall
be given the opportunity to participate in the instructional planning process
with the consultant teacher to discuss the objectives and to determine the
methods and schedules for such services following the development of the
IEP.
(6) If a participating agency
fails to provide agreed-upon transition services contained in the student's
IEP, the district responsible for the student's education shall, as soon as
possible, initiate a meeting to identify alternative strategies to meet the
transition objectives and, if necessary, revise the student's IEP. Nothing in
this Part shall relieve any participating agency of its responsibility to
provide or pay for any transition service that the agency would otherwise
provide to students with disabilities who meet its eligibility
criteria.
(7) The school district
must provide special education and related services to a student with a
disability in accordance with the student's IEP and must make a good faith
effort to assist the student to achieve the annual goals and, if appropriate,
short-term instructional objectives or benchmarks listed in the student's
IEP.
(8) Students with disabilities
who transfer school districts.
(i) Transfer
within New York State. In the case of a student with a disability who had an
IEP that was in effect in this State and who transfers from one school district
and enrolls in a new school district within the same school year, the new
school district shall provide such student with a free appropriate public
education, including services comparable to those described in the previously
held IEP, in consultation with the parents, until such time as the school
district adopts the previously held IEP or develops, adopts and implements a
new IEP that is consistent with Federal and State law and
regulations.
(ii) Transfer from
outside New York State. In the case of a student with a disability who
transfers school districts within the same school year, who enrolls in a new
school district and who had an IEP that was in effect in another State, the
school district shall provide such student with a free appropriate public
education, including services comparable to those described in the previously
held IEP, in consultation with the parents, until such time as the school
district conducts an evaluation pursuant to this section, if determined to be
necessary by such school district, and develops a new IEP, if appropriate, that
is consistent with Federal and State law and regulation.
(iii) Transmittal of records.
(a) To facilitate the transition for a
student described in this paragraph, the new school district in which the
student enrolls shall take reasonable steps to promptly obtain the student's
records, including the IEP and supporting documents and any other records
relating to the provision of special education services to the student, from
the previous school in which the student was enrolled pursuant to
34
C.F.R. section 99.31(a)(2)
(Code of Federal Regulations, 2009 edition, Superintendent of
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Stop SSOP, Washington, DC
20402-0001: 2009 - available at the Office of Counsel, New York State Education
Department, State Education Building, Room 148, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany,
NY 12234).
(b) The previous school
in which the student was enrolled shall take reasonable steps to promptly
respond to such request from the new school.
(9) The school district shall not require a
student with a disability to obtain a prescription for a drug or other
substance identified under schedule I, II, III, IV, or V in section 202(c) of
the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. section
812 [c]) as a condition of receiving services
under this Part (United States Code, 2006 edition, volume 13;
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Stop SSOP,
Washington, DC 20402-0001: 2008 - available at the Office of Counsel, New York
State Education Department, State Education Building, Room 148, 89 Washington
Avenue, Albany, NY 12234).
(f)
Annual review.
The individualized education program (IEP) of each student
with a disability shall be reviewed and, if appropriate, revised, periodically
but not less than annually to determine if the annual goals for the student are
being achieved. Any meeting to develop, review or revise the IEP of each
student with a disability to be conducted by the committee on special education
or subcommittee thereof, pursuant to section
4402
(1)(b)(2) of the Education Law, shall be
based upon review of a student's IEP and other current information pertaining
to the student's performance.
(1) Such
review shall consider the following factors:
(i) the strengths of the student;
(ii) the concerns of the parents for
enhancing the education of their child;
(iii) the results of the initial or most
recent evaluation of the student;
(iv) as appropriate, the results of the
student's performance on any general State or district-wide assessment
programs;
(v) the academic,
developmental and functional needs of the student;
(vi) the special factors described in
paragraph (d)(3) of this section; and
(vii) the educational progress and
achievement of the student with a disability and the student's ability to
participate in instructional programs in regular education and in the least
restrictive environment.
(2) If appropriate, the IEP must be revised
to address:
(i) any lack of expected progress
toward the annual goals and in the general education curriculum or
participation in appropriate activities for preschool students with
disabilities, if appropriate;
(ii)
the results of any reevaluation conducted pursuant to this Part and any
information about the student provided to, or by, the parents;
(iii) the student's anticipated
needs;
(iv) or other matters,
including a student's need for test accommodations and/or modifications and the
student's need for a particular device or service (including an intervention,
accommodation or other program) in consideration of the special factors
contained in paragraph (d)(3) of this section in order for the student to
receive a free appropriate public education.
(3) Prior to the annual review, the committee
on special education shall notify the parent of its intent to review the
student's program and placement in accordance with section
200.5(c) of this
Part.
(4) Upon completion of the
annual review, the committee on special education shall notify the parents of
the committee's recommendation in accordance with section
200.5(a) of this
Part.
(g)
Amendments to the IEP.
(1) Amendments
to an IEP made after the annual review may be made by rewriting the IEP or by
developing a written document to amend or modify the student's current IEP,
provided that:
(i) the parent shall receive
prior written notice of any changes to the IEP pursuant to section
200.5(a) of this
Part;
(ii) the committee on special
education shall be notified of any changes made to the IEP pursuant to
paragraph (2) of this subdivision; and
(iii) the parent shall receive a copy of the
document that amends or modifies the IEP or, upon request, the parent shall be
provided a revised copy of the entire IEP with the amendments
incorporated.
(2) In
making changes to a student's IEP after the annual review has been conducted,
consistent with the procedure established in sections
4308
(2)(i),
4355
(2)(i),
4402
(1)(b)(3)(b) and
4410
(3)(a)(6) of the Education Law, the parent
and the school district may agree not to convene a meeting of the committee on
special education for the purpose of making those changes, and instead may
develop a written document to amend or modify the student's current IEP under
the following circumstances:
(i) the parent
makes a request to the school district for an amendment to the IEP and the
school district and such parent agree in writing; or
(ii) the school district provides the parent
with a written proposal to amend a provision or provisions of the IEP that is
conveyed in language understandable to the parent and in such parent's native
language or other dominant mode of communication, informs and allows the parent
the opportunity to consult with the appropriate personnel or related service
providers concerning the proposed changes and the parent agrees in writing to
such amendments.
(3)
Amendments to an IEP pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subdivision shall not
affect the requirement that the committee on special education review the IEP
at least annually, or more often if necessary.
(h)
Requests to the committee on
special education pursuant to section
4005 of the
Education Law.
(1) If, pursuant to
section
4005 of the
Education Law, a committee on special education receives a written request for
evaluative information and program recommendations for a student from a Family
Court judge, a probation department, a social services district, the Office of
Children and Family Services, or a preadmission certification committee
established pursuant to section
9.51
(d) of the Mental Hygiene Law, the committee
shall, with parental consent or consent of a student 18 years of age or older,
provide such information and recommendation to the requesting agency within 42
days of the date of receipt of such a request, provided that the committee on
special education can obtain the consent of the student's parent to conduct an
evaluation.
(2) A committee on
special education which receives such a request shall:
(i) forward a copy of the agency's request,
as well as a request for parental consent for an evaluation, to the parent of
the student at the address indicated in the request from the agency;
(ii) in the event that the parent does not
grant consent or fails to respond to a request for consent, the committee shall
notify the board of education that they may utilize the procedures described in
section 200.5 of this Part to permit the
district to conduct an evaluation of the student without the consent of the
parent;
(iii) if consent has been
obtained, conduct an evaluation comparable to that described in subdivision (b)
of this section; and
(iv) develop a
written recommendation which:
(a) indicates
the reasons for determining that no disability exists; or
(b) if the student is determined to have a
disability, provides a recommendation in accordance with paragraphs (d)(2)
through (4) of this section.
(3) The committee shall forward a copy of the
evaluation and recommendation to the requesting agency and to the board of
education.
(i) Referrals
to State adult service agencies for certain students with disabilities who have
reached the age of 18.
(1) Pursuant to
Education Law section 4402(1)(b)(5) and (7), the committee on special education
or, in the case of a State-operated school, the multidisciplinary team shall,
with parental consent or consent of a student 18 years of age or older, notify
and invite a representative of the Office of Mental Health, Office for People
With Developmental Disabilities, or the State Education Department, as
appropriate, to participate in the committee on special education meeting for
the development of a recommendation for adult services pursuant to section
7.37 or
13.37 of
the Mental Hygiene Law; section 398c of the Social Services Law or section
4403 of the
Education Law, not later than the annual review prior to the eighteenth
birthday of a student with a disability who is placed by the committee or
multidisciplinary team in:
(a) a residential
program; or
(b) a day program, when
the committee or multidisciplinary team has determined that the student is
likely to require adult residential services.
(2) The committee on special education or
multidisciplinary team shall give the parent or guardian of the student, or a
student 18 years of age or older, the opportunity to consent in writing to the
release of relevant information to such other public agency or agencies, upon
request of such agency or agencies, for purposes of determining appropriateness
of an adult program for such student.
(a) For
the purposes of this paragraph "relevant information" shall be defined as that
information in the possession of and used by the committee on special education
or the multidisciplinary team to ascertain the physical, mental, emotional and
cultural-educational factors which contribute to the student's disability,
including but not limited to:
(i) results of
physical and psychological examinations performed by private and school
district physicians and psychologists;
(ii) relevant information presented by the
parent, guardian and teacher;
(iii)
school data which bear on the student's progress including the student's most
recent individualized education program;
(iv) results of the most recent examinations
and evaluations performed pursuant to section
200.4 of this Part; and
(v) results of other suitable evaluations and
examinations possessed by the committee on special education or
multidisciplinary team.
Nothing is in this subparagraph shall be construed to
require any committee on special education or multidisciplinary team to perform
any examination or evaluation not otherwise required by law or
regulation.
(b)
Upon consent obtained pursuant to this paragraph, the committee on special
education or multidisciplinary team shall forward the student's name and other
relevant information in a report to the appropriate public agency as determined
by the committee on special education or multidisciplinary team, based upon the
student's disability and physical, mental, emotional and social
needs.
(c) The committee on special
education or multidisciplinary team shall forward additional and updated
relevant information to the appropriate public agency upon the request for such
information by such agency, with the consent of the student's parent, or the
student, if such student is 18 years or older.
(3) When the committee on special education
or multidisciplinary team is notified by the public agency which received the
report that such state agency is not responsible for determining and
recommending adult services for the student, the committee on special education
or multidisci-plinary team shall forward the report to another public agency;
or, if the committee on special education or multidisciplinary team determines
that there exists a dispute as to which state agency has the responsibility for
determining and recommending adult services, the committee on special education
or multidisciplinary team may forward the report to the Council on Children and
Families for a resolution of the dispute.
(j)
Additional procedures for
identifying students with learning disabilities.
(1) A student suspected of having a learning
disability as defined in section
200.1(zz)(6) of
this Part must receive an individual evaluation that includes a variety of
assessment tools and strategies pursuant to subdivision (b) of this section.
The CSE may not rely on any single procedure as the sole criterion for
determining whether a student has a learning disability. The individual
evaluation shall be completed within 60 days of receipt of consent, unless
extended by mutual written agreement of the student's parent and the CSE.
(i) The individual evaluation must include
information from an observation of the student in routine classroom instruction
and monitoring of the student's performance that was either done before the
student was referred for an evaluation or from an observation of the student's
academic performance in the regular classroom after the student has been
referred for an evaluation and parental consent, consistent with section
200.5(b) of this
Part, is obtained. Such observation shall be conducted by an individual
specified in paragraph (2) of this subdivision.
(ii) To ensure that underachievement in a
student suspected of having a learning disability is not due to lack of
appropriate instruction in reading or mathematics, the CSE must, as part of the
evaluation procedures pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) of this section,
consider:
(a) data that demonstrate that
prior to, or as part of, the referral process, the student was provided
appropriate instruction in regular education settings, delivered by qualified
personnel; and
(b) data-based
documentation of repeated assessments of achievement at reasonable intervals,
reflecting formal assessment of student progress during instruction, which was
provided to the student's parents.
(2) The determination of eligibility for
special education for a student suspected of having a learning disability must
be made by the CSE, which shall include the student's regular education teacher
as defined in section
200.1(pp) of this
Part and at least one person qualified to conduct individual diagnostic
examinations of students (such as a school psychologist, teacher of speech and
language disabilities, speech/language pathologist or reading
teacher).
(3) A student may be
determined to have a learning disability if, when provided with learning
experiences and instruction appropriate for the student's age or State-approved
grade-level standards, the student does not achieve adequately for the
student's age or to meet State-approved grade-level standards in one or more of
the following areas: oral expression, listening comprehension, written
expression, basic reading skills, reading fluency skills, reading
comprehension, mathematics calculation, mathematics problem solving; and
(i) The student either:
(a) does not make sufficient progress to meet
age or State-approved grade-level standards in one or more of the areas
identified in this paragraph when using a process based on the student's
response to scientific, research-based intervention pursuant to section
100.2(ii) of this
Title; or
(b) exhibits a pattern of
strengths and weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to age,
State-approved grade-level standards, or intellectual development that is
determined by the CSE to be relevant to the identification of a learning
disability, using appropriate assessments consistent with subdivision (b) of
this section; and
(ii)
The CSE determines that its findings under this paragraph are not primarily the
result of a visual, hearing, or motor disability; an intellectual disability;
emotional disability; cultural factors; environmental or economic disadvantage;
or limited English proficiency.
(4) In addition to the criteria in paragraph
(3) of this subdivision, the CSE is not prohibited from considering whether
there is a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in
oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading
skill, reading fluency skills, reading comprehension, mathematical calculation
and/or mathematical problem solving; provided that effective on and after July
1, 2012, a school district shall not use the severe discrepancy criteria to
determine that a student in kindergarten through grade four has a learning
disability in the area of reading.
(5) Specific documentation for the
eligibility determination.
(i) When
determining eligibility for a student suspected of having a learning
disability, the CSE shall prepare a written report containing a statement of:
(a) whether the student has a learning
disability;
(b) the basis for
making the determination, including an assurance that the determination has
been made in accordance with paragraph (c)(1) of this section;
(c) the relevant behavior, if any, noted
during the observation of the student and the relationship of that behavior to
the student's academic functioning;
(d) the educationally relevant medical
findings, if any;
(e) whether,
consistent with paragraph (3) of this subdivision:
(1) the student does not achieve adequately
for the student's age or to meet State-approved grade-level standards;
and
(2) the student;
(i) does not make sufficient progress to meet
age or State-approved grade-level standards; or
(ii) exhibits a pattern of strengths and
weaknesses in performance, achievement, or both, relative to age,
State-approved grade-level standards or intellectual development;
(f) the determination
of the CSE concerning the effects of a visual, hearing, or motor disability; an
intellectual disability; emotional disability; cultural factors; environmental
or economic disadvantage; or limited English proficiency on the student's
achievement level; and
(g) if the
student has participated in a process that assesses the student's response to
scientific, research-based intervention pursuant to section
100.2(ii) of this
Title:
(1) the instructional strategies used
and the student-centered data collected; and
(2) the documentation that the student's
parents were notified in accordance with section
100.2(ii)(1)(vi)
of this Title.
(ii) Each CSE member must certify in writing
whether the report reflects the member's conclusion. If it does not reflect the
member's conclusion, the CSE member must submit a separate statement presenting
the member's conclusions.