Special Education


State Performance Plan (SPP) for 2005-2012- Revised February 2011 - Indicator 6

Overview of the State Performance Plan Development

See Overview of the State Performance Plan Development preceding Indicator 1.

Monitoring Priority: FAPE in the LRE

Indicator 6*: Percent of children aged 3 through 5 with individualized education programs (IEPs) attending a:

  1. Regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program; and
  2. Separate special education class, separate school or residential facility.
    (20 U.S.C. 1416(a) (3) (A))

* Note: As of the January 2010 SPP, this indicator is reworded per federal guidance issued 3/09.

Measurement: (Revised January 2010 consistent with federal guidance)

  1. Percent = [(# of children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs attending a regular early childhood program and receiving the majority of special education and related services in the regular early childhood program) divided by the (total # of children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs)] times 100.
  2. Percent = [(# of children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs attending a separate special education class, separate school or residential facility) divided by the (total # of children aged 3 through 5 with IEPs)] times 100.

Data Source:

Student Information Repository System (SIRS) is used to collect individual student data on all students.
New York State (NYS) will use the data collected and reported annually to the United States Education Department (USED) in the 618 report on Table 3 of Information Collection 1820-0517 (Part B, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Implementation of FAPE Requirements).  These data are also provided to USED in the appropriately formatted EDFacts files.

Overview of Issue/Description of System or Process

Section 4410 of the Education Law and section 200.16 of the Commissioner’s Regulations establish the process for preschool students with disabilities to receive special education services. 

The Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) makes recommendations for placement of preschool students with disabilities.  The CPSE is required by law and regulation to first consider the appropriateness of providing related services only; or special education itinerant teacher services (SEIT) only; or related services in combination with SEIT services; or a half-day preschool program or a full-day preschool program. The CPSE is also required to first consider providing special education services in a setting where age-appropriate peers without disabilities are typically found, prior to recommending the provision of special education services in a setting, which includes only preschool children with disabilities.

The CPSE is required to include in its written report of its recommendation a statement of the reasons why less restrictive placements were not recommended when the recommendation is for the provision of special education services in a setting with no regular contact with age-appropriate peers without disabilities.

Baseline Data for FFY 2004 (2004-2005)

In 2004-05, 63.5 percent of preschool children with IEPs received special education and related services in settings with typically developing peers (e.g., early childhood settings, home, and part-time early childhood/part-time early childhood special education settings).

Discussion of Baseline Data

  • In 2004-05, 465 out of 664 school districts with preschool special education students (70 percent) had rates of integration in preschool placements that exceeded the State average, while 199 school districts were below the statewide average.  One hundred forty-eight (148) school districts were at 100 percent integration, including a large city/high need school district.
  • Analysis by geographic regions indicates wide differences.  New York City and Long Island are below the statewide rate by 11 and 7 percentage points respectively, while Central and Eastern New York State exceed the statewide baseline by 20 and 15 percentage points respectively.  Between 2003-04 and 2004-05, New York City increased its integration of special education placements from 41.5 percent to 52.4 percent.
  • Data from the longitudinal study of 5,000 preschool students with disabilities indicate a statistical relationship between integration in preschool special education and age appropriate development of learning and behavioral skills in kindergarten.  As the students progress through grade four, data will continue to be collected to ascertain long-term effects of preschool integration.
  • NYS has made steady growth in the integration of preschool special education over time.  In 1995-96, the integration rate was 32.3%.  The 2004-05 rate has nearly doubled since that time.  In 2003-04, the NYS rate exceeded the national average by 6.7 percentage points.  Among the improvement strategies implemented over this time period that led to these improvement results are:
    • A moratorium on the approval of any new or expanded preschool programs in settings that include only preschool children with disabilities.
    • The addition of SEIT services to the continuum of preschool special education services in 1997.
    • A grant initiative to promote the development of new or expanded preschool programs in integrated settings.
  • Initiation in 2001 of the NYS Universal Pre- Kindergarten Program.

Measurable and Rigorous Targets

FFY Measurable and Rigorous Target
2005
(2005-06)		 64 percent of preschool students with disabilities served in either natural settings or settings that include nondisabled children.
2006
(2006-07)		 USED suspended reporting on this indicator, pending further instructions.
2007
(2007-08)		 USED suspended reporting on this indicator, pending further instructions.
2008
(2008-09)*		 No reporting is required in FFY 2008.
2009
(2009-10)**		 No reporting is required in FFY 2009.
USED continued suspension of reporting on this indicator for one additional year.(rev. 2/11)
2010
(2010-11)**		 A new baseline, targets and improvement activities will be reported in the APR submission due February 1, 2012.
2011
(2011-12)***		 Progress will be reported in the APR submission due February 1, 2013, based on targets set in FFY 2010.
2012
(2012-13)***		 Progress will be reported in the APR submission due February 1, 2014, based on targets set in FFY 2010.
* Note: Wording changes made in 1/10 reflect federal changes in guidance issued 3/09.
**USED modified the reporting requirements for Indicator 6 in 8/10.
***In FFY 2009, USED requested states to add two additional years to the SPP, including adding two additional years of targets.

Improvement Activities/Timelines/Resources

Activity Timeline Resources
Review the results of the preschool longitudinal study, including the effects of placements of preschool students in integrated versus nonintegrated settings. 2005-07
Completed
See 9/07 report.		 IDEA Discretionary Funds
Longitudinal Study of Preschool Students is found at
https://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/preschool/study/intro.pdf  
Approval of any new or expanded programs in settings which include only preschool children with disabilities requires documentation of regional need to meet the demand for services for preschool children in the least restrictive environment. 2005-12* SEQA staff
Increase opportunities for students with disabilities to have earlier access to inclusive educational settings.
  • Regents policy paper on early childhood education – expansion of universal pre-kindergarten statewide
 2006-12* Office of P-12 Education  staff
Share national effective practices and strategies regarding: instructional delivery designs in general education settings; and classroom culture and conditions that positively impact student engagement in general education preschool settings. 2006-12* National Technical Assistance Centers:
Preschool LRE Community of Practice
www.tacommunities.orgexternal link
National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center www.nectac.orgexternal link
Share information about the knowledge and skills of early childhood educators to facilitate student participation in general education settings. 2006-12* IRIS Center for Faculty Enhancement http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.eduexternal link
Provide information and technical assistance to schools and preschool providers to promote placement of preschool students in settings with nondisabled peers. 2005-12* Early Childhood Direction Centers
https://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/techassist/ecdc/
Propose State regulations to clarify school district responsibility to provide special education services to preschool students. 2007 SED staff
*Note: Extended the end dates to 2012 coinciding with extended dates of the SPP (rev. 2/11).
Last Updated: February 28, 2011ate -->