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District

Special Education Office

Welcome to the Office of Pupil Personnel Services and Special Education

The policies and procedures of Southampton School District are aimed at ensuring the right to a “free and appropriate public education, in the least restrictive environment” for all children found to have a disability.

A range of services, from part-time to full-time special education, is available to allow success in meeting the requirements of the New York State standards. This is accomplished through specially designed instruction based upon the individual needs of students identified as disabled by the district's Committee on Special Education. Consideration of academic, social, management and physical needs form the basis for the type and duration of services. Special education programs and services are designed to assure that children with disabilities receive an appropriate and equal opportunity for education growth up to age 21. Services are offered to aging-out students.

Transition Resources

  • The CSE chairperson, upon receipt of a referral for initial evaluation, records the date the referral was received by the Committee chairperson or the building administrator, whichever is earlier. If received by the building administrator, it is immediately forward it to the Committee chairperson. If received by the committee chairperson, a copy is forwarded a copy to the building administrator within five school days. 

    The CSE, including the parent of the student, reviews existing evaluation information on the student to determine what, if any, existing evaluation information is current and appropriate to meet the requirements for an initial individual evaluation for this student. Document the process to obtain the input of the CSE in the determination of data.  The CSE chairperson immediately sends prior notice to the parent of the student.

    • Attach request for consent for initial evaluation. 
    • Attach procedural safeguard notice.
    • Attach Parent Guide to Special Education.

    If parental consent is not received, the CSE: Informs the parent that, upon request, the parent may attend an informal conference with the committee or designated professionals most familiar with the proposed evaluation so the parent may ask questions about the proposed evaluation. If, at this meeting, the parent and the person initiating the referral agree in writing that the referral is not warranted the referral shall be withdrawn. 

     If the parent does not request or attend such a conference, or continues to withhold consent for evaluation for 30 calendar days after the date of receipt of the referral, the school must initiate an impartial hearing to determine if the evaluation should be conducted without parental consent. 

    Upon receipt of parental consent, the school conducts the evaluations determined necessary.

    Either prior to or at the CSE meeting, the school shares the results of the evaluation with the parent.

    The CSE chairperson sends a meeting notice to the parent.

    •   Attach procedural safeguard notice 

    The CSE conducts a meeting to review evaluation information, determine eligibility and, if appropriate, develop the IEP.

       Include an individual qualified to interpret the instructional implications of the evaluation results in the CSE meeting. 

    The CSE sends prior notice of the recommendation to the parent.

    •    Provide a copy of the evaluation report and documentation of the determination of eligibility to the parent.  
    •    Provide a copy of the IEP to the parent. 

    The CSE forwards the recommendation to the board of education.

    The board of education provides notice to the parent when it takes action.

    Re-evaluations include any individualized assessments, similar to those conducted as part of the initial evaluation of a child, and any new assessments not part of the review of the IEP.

  • This section is intended to provide a glossary of terms used in the CSE process. While not an exhaustive list, the following may be of assistance, particularly to new Chairpersons.

    AIS

    Academic Intervention Services

    AP

    Advanced Placement

    ASL

    American Sign Language

    BETAC

    Bilingual/English Technical Assistance Center

    BIP

    Behavioral Intervention Plan

    BOCES

    Board of Cooperative Educational Services

    BOE

    Board of Education

    CPSE

    Committee on Preschool Special Education

    CSE

    Committee on Special Education

    CSPD

    Comprehensive System of Personnel Development

    CST

    Child Study Team

    DCEP

    District Comprehensive Education Plan (NYC)

    DOH

    Department of Health

    ECDC

    Early Childhood Direction Center

    EI

    Early Intervention

    ERSS

    Educationally Related Support Services

    ESY

    Extended School Year

    FAPE

    Free Appropriate Public Education

    FBA

    Functional Behavioral Assessment

    FS10

    Federal/State Project Budget Form

    FERPA

    Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974

    IAES

    Interim Alternative Educational Setting

    IDEA

    Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

    IEE

    Independent Educational Evaluation

    IEP

    Individualized Education Program

    IHO

    Impartial Hearing Officer

    ILC

    Independent Living Center

    IST

    Instructional Support Team

    JMT

    Joint Management Team

    LEP

    Limited English Proficient

    LRE

    Least Restrictive Environment

    NYSED

    New York State Education Department

    NYSAA

    New York State Alternate Assessment

    OMH

    Office of Mental Health

    OMTDD

    Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities

    PD

    Persons with Disability (Forms for Special Education Data Collection)

    PDS

    Professional Development Specialist (SETRC)

    PE

    Physical Education

    PSO

    Post School Outcome

    RA

    Regional Associate

    RIC

    Regional Information Center

    RCT

    Regents Competency Test

    RSSC

    Regional School Support Center

    SAVE

    Schools Against Violence in Education

    SED

    State Education Department

    SEQA

    Special Education Quality Assurance

    SETRC

    Special Education Training and Resource Center

    SRO

    State Review Officer

    STAC

    System for Tracking and Accounting of Children

    Sub CSE

    Subcommittee on Special Education

    SWD

    Student with a Disability

    TRE

    Technology Resources for Education

    VESID    Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities

  • How will I know if my preschool-age child needs special education?

    The Referral

    If your child received early intervention services as an infant or toddler up to age three, and may still need special education, your service coordinator will assist you with transition planning and making a referral to the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE). 

    If your preschool-age child (3-5 years old) did not receive early intervention services, but has some delays or lags in development such as difficulty in

    talking, moving around, thinking, or learning or is facing physical or

    behavioral challenges — you, or professionals who know your child, may make

    a referral to the chairperson of your school district's Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) who will assist you in completing the referral process.

    The CPSE must include: the parent of the child, a regular education teacher (if the child is or may be participating in the regular education environment), a special education teacher or related service provider, a representative of the

    local school district who serves as the chairperson of the CPSE, an individual

    who can interpret evaluation results, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise about the child, an additional parent member (unless the

    parent(s) of the child request that this person not participate), and a licensed or certified professional from the Department of Health’s Early Intervention

    Program (for a child in transition from the Early Intervention Program). A certified or licensed preschool representative from the municipality must be notified of scheduled meetings; however, the CPSE meetings can be held whether or not the municipal representative attends. 

    The Evaluation Process

    When your child is referred to the CPSE, you will be given a list of agencies approved by the State Education Department to provide preschool special

    education evaluations. You will be asked to select one of the approved evaluators, then sign a consent form for your child to be evaluated at no cost to you or your family.  

    The CPSE will also give you a copy of the due process procedural safeguards notice. If your child's evaluation is not timely or, if you disagree with the evaluation results or the recommendation of the CPSE, you have the right to ask for an independent evaluation, mediation or an impartial hearing. A copy of the evaluation report, including a summary of the evaluation, will be

    provided to you and to other CPSE members. You will be asked to meet with them to talk about the evaluation results. If the CPSE finds your child is not eligible for special education programs and/or services, you will be given the reasons for the decision in writing. 

    How will my child receive special education programs and services?

    The CPSE Recommendation and the Individual Education Program (IEP)

    If your child has a disability that may be affecting his or her learning, the

    CPSE will find your child to be an eligible "preschool student with a disability.” The CPSE will also recommend the program or services to meet your child’s individual needs and where they will be provided. If your child is an eligible preschool student with a disability, you and the other CPSE members will

    write an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for your child that will list the recommended services to be provided, how often, and for how long. The recommendations will be forwarded to your local school district Board of

    Education for approval. Most children with disabilities can receive the special education services they need in settings with their non-disabled peers. They

    also should participate in developmentally appropriate activities. The CPSE must consider how to provide the services in the Least Restrictive

    Environment (LRE), where your child can learn close to your home with other children of the same age who do not have disabilities. Services may be

    provided at an approved or licensed pre-kindergarten or Head Start program, the work-site of a provider, the student's home, a hospital, a State facility or a child care location.  

Contact Information

Carleen Meers
Interim Director of PPS 
631-591-4532

Esther Adler-O'Keefe
Coordinator of Academic Support Services / CPSE / 504
631-591-4514

Kaitlin Hamilton
CSE Chairperson
631-591-4532

Cindy Kreymborg
Senior Account Clerk
631-591-4533

Questions, referrals and additional information may be obtained by contacting the Office of Special Education at 631-591-4532. 
The offices are located at:  Southampton School District, 425 County Road 39A, Suite 101, Southampton, NY 11968

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