Special Education refers to programs and/or services that are specially designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities. The Committee on Special Education (CSE) determines the programs and/or services for each student with a disability. Services are provided within the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) as defined in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) as determined by the CSE.

Continuum Of Services
The continuum of special education services for school-age students with disabilities is an array of services to meet an individual student’s needs that may include the following:

• Related Services includes counseling, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and services for the deaf and hard of hearing or visually impaired. Services may include consultation and/or direct services.
• Consultant Teacher Services (CTS) are direct or indirect services that provide consultant teacher services to students with disabilities depending upon the needs of the student and as per IEP.
• Resource Room (5:1) is meant to provide supplemental instruction of students with disabilities who are in need of such supplemental programs as identified by the CSE.
• Integrated Co-Teaching Classes: ICT classes are taught by two teachers, one general education or content area teacher and one special education teacher. The teachers collaborate to adapt and modify instruction so all students can access the grade-level curriculum. 
• Special Classes: A student with a disability shall be placed in a special class for instruction on a daily basis to the extent indicated in the student’s IEP. The class size for those students whose special education needs consist primarily of the need for specialized instruction in a setting of 15:1 or 12:1:1 student-teacher ratio.
   

Mary-Lou Sapienza
Director, Pupil Personnel Services
E-mail | 516-364-5695