Navigating Special Education @ M.S.419
Each student with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be assigned an IEP point person. This person will be a special education teacher or related service provider, such as their speech or occupational therapy provider, who knows or will know your child well. Your child’s IEP Point Person will be your primary contact person with regard to their IEP, Annual Reviews, and three year evaluations. If your child is due for a three year mandated evaluation, you will be in contact with the IEP point person. Below you will find an overview of all Special Education related items to support you and your child while at M.S. 419.
Special Education Overview for Families
Individual Education Plans (IEP)
The Individualized Education Program, also called the IEP, is a document that is developed for each public school child who needs special education services. Guardians are required to attend their child’s annual IEP review. After your child’s annual review is complete, your child’s IEP point person will provide you with a printed copy of the IEP.
A child’s IEP is conferenced and reviewed every year by the IEP Point Person/Case Managers, subject teachers, and service providers and reviewed every three years by the school psychologist. Parents may request a re-evaluation anytime through a written letter.
During the Annual Review we (1) Discuss your child's progress toward his or her annual goal (2) Discuss the current educational setting and supports that are in place (3) Determine goals for the following year.
The following sections of the IEP provide the most information about your child’s educational program:
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Present Levels of Performance (PLOP)- Here you will find a detailed narrative of your child’s current academic (core subjects), social, emotional and physical performance.
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Measurable Annual Goals- Based on your child’s present academic levels and the standards for the grade, teachers, parents, and service providers develop annual goals that your child will aim to achieve within one year. Your child’s progress will be tracked throughout the year and will be reported to you when report cards are issued.
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Recommended Special Education Program/Services- This section details your child’s personalized program, including when and within which classes your child will receive related services.
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Testing Accommodations- This section outlines the accommodations that your child will receive for local and state testing. Possible accommodations include receiving a separate testing location, additional time, use of technology for testing, or having questions read aloud.
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Summary- The summary page includes important information such as your child’s functional and instructional levels in reading and math and an outline of recommended services.
Service Delivery Models
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ICT (Integrated Co-Teaching): ICT classrooms have a general education teacher and special education teacher available to support all students in core classes. This setting allows students to be educated with age-appropriate peers in general education classes while meeting their individual education plan.
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Self-Contained Class: Special Class (SC) services are provided in a self-contained classroom. All of the children in the class have IEPs with needs that cannot be met in a general education classroom. They are taught by special education teachers who provide specialized instruction. In elementary and middle school, special classes have up to 12 students. In high school, special classes have up to 15 students. The students in the class are within a three-year age range and have similar educational needs.
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D75 Inclusion Class: Many classes also contain students with special needs that are enrolled in the Riverview School. Riverview students are accompanied by a paraprofessional. Inclusion at M.S. 419 is a unique opportunity to integrate students with special needs from the Riverview school into our community. M.S. 419 students also have opportunities to work with the Riverview school co-located in our building.
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Related Services: Speech and Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, Counseling Services.
Modified Promotional Criteria
Most students with IEPs who participate in standard assessments should be held to standard promotion criteria. However, when the impact of the student’s disability is so severe that the student is not able to meet the school’s promotion benchmarks, even with the use of multiple measures to assess progress toward the benchmark and the provision of required specially designed instruction, accommodations, supports and services, the student may be held to modified promotion criteria.
Modified promotion criteria is defined by the student’s progress towards annual IEP goals. A portfolio is created to assess the student’s progress toward meeting annual goals in literacy and math. Evidence in the portfolio must reflect use of multiple measures that explicitly assess the student’s progress. The portfolio must be reviewed by the student’s teacher and the principal in June in order to make promotion decisions. Promotion decisions cannot be based on non-academic annual goals. All students in 8th grade, regardless of promotion criteria, will be required to pass ELA, math, science and social studies courses in order to be promoted to 9th grade.
Section 504 Accommodations
Health services and Section 504 accommodations for students who receive them end on the last day of school. If your student currently receives health services and Section 504 accommodations you must complete a re-authorization form to continue during the upcoming school year. To re-authorize services, families must complete and submit the appropriate form(s) before the new school year begins. Please reach out to the main office for further guidance.
District 75 Special Education Inclusive Services
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Inclusion at M.S. 419 is a unique opportunity to integrate students with special needs from the Riverview School into our community. All Riverview staff and students are fully immersed into our school culture.
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District 75 Special Education Inclusive Services are an opportunity for students with disabilities to receive special education services from District 75 while participating in the general education curriculum at our school. Students receive services from a District 75 Special Education Teacher, and if appropriate, related services and paraprofessional support, from District 75 providers. Students learn in age-appropriate general education classes, receive instruction from a general education teacher, and participate in school programs with students with and without disabilities.
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All Riverview students receive SETSS (Special Education Teacher Support Services): SETSS offers specially designed supplemental instruction to support the student with a disability within the general education classroom
How to support students in self-advocating
In addition to you and your child’s attendance at the IEP meeting, it is important that you review the IEP together. If your child is aware of the services they are entitled to, they will be better equipped to advocate for their learning needs. For more information on how you and your child can become self advocates in their individualized learning, please visit www.understood.org
Initial Referrals
If you believe your student needs special education services, please write a letter addressed to the Principal Montanes requesting an evaluation. More information about the initial review process can be found at:
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/special-education/the-iep-process/making-a-referral
The IEP team, including the parent or guardian, will determine whether your child is eligible for special education services and requires an IEP. A school-age student is eligible for special education services if the student meets the criteria for one or more of the 13 disability classifications listed in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) below.