1. Special Education Updates 3.24.2017
Presented by
Tracy Mosher, SESIS Coordinator

2. Special Education Blueprint - NYS overview

3. Mission of NYSED, Office of Special Education
high quality instruction
same standards
successful transition to post-school learning, living, and working

4. Special Education Blueprint Essential Understandings
“. . . must provide systemic supports and professional development for teachers to meet the needs of students with disabilities, including appropriate identification and ensuring classrooms have necessary supports, rigorous and relevant learning environments . . .”
“. . . instructional leaders for students with disabilities . . .”
“. . . all teachers are teachers of students with disabilities . . .”
“. . . must be held to high expectations . . .”
“. . . parents of students with disabilities need information and support . . .”
“. . . students with disabilities should participate, to the maximum extent possible, in making recommendations . . .”
The essential understandings are the foundation
Must live by these to achieve mission

5. Special Education Blueprint Evidence-based Guiding Principles
Will be used by the State to review:
Policy
Technical assistance
Other improvement activities
School districts are encouraged to use these principles to review practice and to identify and act on areas where improvement is needed.
NYS creating self-assessment
Technical assistance should be provided to support the guiding principles

6. Special Education Blueprint Guiding Principle #1
Self-Advocacy

7. Special Education Blueprint Guiding Principle #2
Parents, and other family members

8. Special Education Blueprint Guiding Principle #3
Specially-designed instruction
Design, provide and assess effectiveness

9. Specially-Designed Instruction (SDI)
NYS Regulation: Section (w)
Adapting as appropriate to the needs of an eligible student, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs that result from the student’s disability; and to ensure access of the student to the general curriculum, so that he or she can meet the education standards that apply to all students.
Modified Content -
knowledge and skills are different from what is being taught to typically developing same-aged peers
For example, a student with an IEP may be working on increasing the number of words that he can spell correctly while typically developing peers are being taught to write short stories with complete paragraphs.
All students are working toward the same standard concerning writing, but the student with the IEP is learning a skill and working toward a standards indicator that is different than his peers.
instruction in daily living skills that are not components of the general education curriculum for typically developing peers, but rather are reflected in the student's IEP goals and objectives (e.g., self-management skills for behavior control are not part of the general curriculum.)
Modified Methodology -
different instructional strategies and approaches are used to teach content to the student with a disability than are used with typically developing, same-aged peers
One example is a special education teacher employing System 44 as a way of teaching basic reading skills and fluency. This and similar reading methodologies that are designed for use with students having neurologically based reading problems are not commonly used in the general education classroom with general education peers.
Modified Delivery of Instruction -
the way in which instruction is delivered is different than what is provided to typically developing peers
Examples include providing intensive instruction individually or in small groups outside of the general education classroom or providing more frequent instructional opportunities than are provided to general education peers.

10. How Learning is Measured
Mid-South RSE-TASC
6/9/2018
What Factors Might Present Barriers to Access, Participation & Progress in General Education?
Environment
Materials
Content
How Learning is Measured
Instruction
Developing a Quality IEP - notes

12. Special Education Blueprint Guiding Principle #4
Research-based instructional teaching & learning strategies & supports

13. Special Education Blueprint Guiding Principle #5
Multi-tiered systems of behavioral and academic support

14. Special Education Blueprint Guiding Principle #6
High quality inclusive programs and activities
NYS also creating an LRE self-assessment

15. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
LRE means that placement of students with disabilities in special classes, separate schools or other removal from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that even with the use of supplementary aids and services, education cannot be satisfactorily achieved.

16. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
The placement of an individual student with a disability in the least restrictive environment shall:
provide the special education needed by the student;
provide for education of the student to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of the student with other students who do not have disabilities; and
Be as close as possible to the student’s home.

17. School Age LRE Data, 2014-2015 Ages 6-21
Statewide data shows that:
57.8% are served inside regular classrooms 80 percent or more of the school day;
11.7% are served inside regular classrooms for between 40 and 79 percent of the school day;
19.8% are served inside regular classrooms for less than 40 percent of the school day; and
6.1% are served in separate schools, residential placements or homebound or hospital placements.

18. School Age LRE Data, 2014-2015 Ages 6-21
When comparing LRE percentages to other states, NYS ranks:
38th for Time Inside the Classroom 80% or more (New York’s rate is 58.16%)
49th for Time Inside Regular Classroom Less than 40% (New York’s rate is 21.47%)
43rd for Separate Settings Outside of regular school facilities (New York’s rate is 5.98%)
49th overall based on the average of these three LRE rankings (the average rank for New York was 43rd)

19. Students with Disabilities (Ages 6-21) in

20. Students with Disabilities (Ages 6-21) in

21. 1996-97 Public and Private Special Education Placements at Separate Sites for Each
BOCES Region and New York City

23. 2014-15 Percent of Students by Disability Category by LRE
80% or more
40-79%
Less than 40%
Separate setting
Learning Disabilities
69.1%
13.7%
11.9%
0.9%
Speech or Language Impairments
65.7%
7.8%
18.4%
1.2%
Emotional Disturbance
31.1%
11.0%
30.3%
25.1%
Other Health Impairments
64.0%
13.1%
14.9%
3.0%
Autism
25.4%
9.2%
43.9%
20.3%
Deaf-Blindness
16.7%
5.6%
27.8%
38.9%
Deafness
20.4%
6.1%
11.3%
57.2%
Hearing Impairments
70.5%
8.3%
11.1%
2.2%
Intellectual Disability
6.0%
15.8%
56.1%
21.6%
Multiple Disabilities
8.2%
13.9%
45.4%
31.6%
Orthopedic Impairments
7.0%
9.3%
Traumatic Brain Injury
39.4%
21.1%
23.9%
12.6%
Visual Impairments (Includes Blind)
57.1%
8.9%
19.8%

24. 2014-15 Percent of Students by Age Range in Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Settings
Separate Setting
Less than 40%
40% to 79%
80% or more

25. 2014-15 Percent of Students by Gender in Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Settings
60.5 % 4
56.
11.5
11.7
5.0
6.2
5.4
6.5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Female
Male
Separate Setting
Less than 40%
40% to 79%
80% or more

26. 2014-15 Percent of Students by Race/Ethnicity in Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Settings
Separate Setting
Less than 40%
40% to 79%
80% or more

27. School District Action Steps
Ensure that each student with a disability has access to the full continuum of special education programs and services, as required by federal and State law and regulation.
Ensure Committees on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) and Committees on Special Education (CSE), including parents understand their responsibilities for LRE determinations.
Ensure that each annual review includes consideration of special education services and supplementary supports and services that would support the student to receive education services in the student’s regular school and in age appropriate general education classrooms.

28. School District Action Steps
Assess and address the extent to which each of their schools provides a high- quality inclusive setting.
Each school district reviews its LRE data for preschool students.
Each school district reviews, discusses and develops a plan to address its data, by district and schools and disaggregated by disability category, race/ethnicity, gender and age.

29. Special Education Blueprint Guiding Principle #7
Career development & work-based learning

30. NYSAA Changes: Social Studies & Science

31. NYSED Field Memo February 2017
In , NYS Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) will
No longer include a Social Studies component
Continue to include ELA, Mathematics and Science
Use the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) computer-based assessments for all 3 components ( dynamiclearningmaps.org/ )
Assess ELA and Math at grades 3-8 and once at the secondary level
Assess Science at grades 4, 8 and once at the secondary level

32. NYSED Field Memo February 2017
This change will
Will not impede a NYSAA-eligible student from attaining a Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential Certificate
Not affect a district’s accountability status
Allow for one administration window for all three components from March 14, 2018 to June 8, 2018
Allow for one comprehensive training for all three content areas

33. Multiple Day Administration for SWDS

34. NYSED Field Memo February 2017
Effective immediately
Schools must now complete and submit an Assurance of Multiple Day Administration of State Assessments for each student whose IEP or plan recommends this test accommodation
Note
Previously issued authorizations will still apply

35. NYSED Field Memo February 2017
Section I: Considerations for Determining if a Student Needs Multiple Day Test Administration
Section II: Documentation of Multiple Day Test Administration on the IEP or 504 Plan
Section III: Revised Process for Requesting Authorization to Administer State Assessments over Multiple Days
Section IV: Procedures Relating to the Administration of State Assessments over Multiple Days

36. Superintendent Determination of Graduation

37. NYSED Field Memo February 2017 (Supersedes guidance issued in June 2016)
Revisions include:
MUST have written request from an eligible student’s parent or guardian
MUST provide prior written notice (PWN) that the student in not eligible to receive FAPE after graduation with a local diploma
The definition of Superintendent, for purposes of this regulation only, include the principal, head of school, or other equivalent, of charter schools or nonpublic schools
MUST ensure the provision of transition services

38. NYSED Field Memo February 2017 (Supersedes guidance issued in June 2016)
Also Noteworthy:
Does not apply to students with 504 plans
Student has passed and earned required course credits
Student must achieve a minimum score of 55 on ELA and math Regents exams
Student has participated in other Regents exams (science and social studies)
The superintendent determination form must be submitted to NYSED no later than August 31
The Commissioner will periodically audit the determinations
Students can make use of the low pass appeal AND the compensatory option

39. “The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.”