(a) Census and register of students with disabilities.
(1) The board of education or trustees of each school district shall conduct a census in accordance with Education Law, sections 3240, 3241 and 3242, to locate and identify all students with disabilities who reside in the district and shall establish a register of such students who are entitled to attend the public schools of the district or are eligible to attend a preschool program in accordance with section 4410 of the Education Law during the next school year, including students with disabilities who are homeless or who are wards of the State. The register of such students and others referred to the committee as possibly having a disability shall be maintained and revised annually by the district committee on special education or the committee on preschool special education, as appropriate. Procedures shall be implemented to assure the availability of statistical data to readily determine the status of each student with a disability in the identification, location, evaluation, placement and program review process. Census data shall be reported by October 1st to the committee on special education or committee on preschool special education, as appropriate.
(2) Data requirements.
(i) Procedures shall be designed to record data on each student, and shall include at least the following types of data:
(a) student's name, address and birthdate;
(b) student's parents' names, address(es), and the native language of the student's home;
(c) student's suspected disability;
(d) dates of referral, evaluations, recommendations of the committee on special education, or committee on preschool special education, actual placement, and annual program reviews;
(e) site where the student is currently receiving an educational program;
(f) other student information as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) and Federal regulations, including but not limited to the student's race, ethnicity, limited English proficiency status, gender and disability category;
(g) if the student is not receiving an appropriate public education, the reason shall be described.
(ii) The data shall be organized so that it can readily be determined whether each student is receiving an appropriate public education, a partial education or no education at all.
(3) Data collection. All persons involved in the collection of data shall have received prior training and written information regarding the procedures to be followed in collecting the data.
(4) Data reporting. The reporting of data shall be conducted in accordance with the following policies and procedures:
(i) School districts shall prepare, and keep on file, summary reports of student data, including numbers of students who are:
(a) unserved and the reasons they are unserved; and
(b) served.
(ii) A summary report of the students served shall be submitted by local school districts to the State Education Department in a manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(5) The board of education or trustees of each school district shall keep on file the register and related summary reports which shall be available to the district superintendent of the supervisory district in which the district is located or other representatives of the State Education Department.
(6) Paragraphs (1)--(5) of this subdivision shall not apply to schools and students subject to the provisions of articles 81, 85, 87 and 88 of the Education Law and chapter 1060 of the Laws of 1974. Schools subject to the provisions of such articles and chapter shall keep their own census of students, and shall submit such census directly to the commissioner on forms prescribed by the commissioner.
(7) Procedures to locate, identify, and evaluate all nonpublic private elementary and secondary school students with disabilities, including religious-school children as required by the Education Law must be established to ensure the equitable participation of parentally placed private school students with disabilities and an accurate count of such students. The child find activities must be similar to activities undertaken for students with disabilities in public schools and must be completed in a time period comparable to that for other students attending public schools in the school district. The school district shall consult with representatives of private schools and representatives of parents of parentally placed private school students with disabilities on the child find process.
(i) If a student is parentally-placed, or is going to be parentally-placed in a private elementary or secondary school that is not located in the student's school district of residence, parental consent, or consent of a student 18 years of age or older, must be obtained before any personally identifiable information about the student is released between officials in the district where the private school is located and officials in the parent's district of residence.
(ii) The school district shall maintain in its records and report to the commissioner, in a manner prescribed by the commissioner, on the number of students enrolled in such private schools by their parents who are evaluated to determine if they are students with disabilities, the number of such students who are determined to have a disability and the number of such students who received special education services under this Part.
(b) Written policy. Each board of education or board of trustees shall adopt written policy that establishes administrative practices and procedures:
(1) to ensure that students with disabilities residing in the district have the opportunity to participate in school district programs, to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of the student including nonacademic and extracurricular programs and activities, which are available to all other students enrolled in the public schools of the district, which may include counseling services, athletics, transportation, health services, recreational activities, special interest groups or clubs sponsored by the school district, referrals to agencies that provide assistance to individuals with disabilities and employment of students, including both employment by the school district and assistance in making outside employment available;
(2) to ensure that each preschool student with a disability residing in the district has the opportunity to participate in preschool programs, including timely evaluation and placement;
(3) for appointing and training appropriately qualified personnel, including the members and chairpersons of the committee on special education and the committee on preschool special education, to carry out the functions identified in this Part;
(4) to implement the provisions of section 200.6(a) of this Part and to provide special services or programs, to the extent appropriate to the needs of the student, to enable the student to be involved in and progress in the general education curriculum;
(5) for the purpose of ensuring that parents have received and understand the request for consent for evaluation of a preschool student;
(6) for the purpose of ensuring the confidentiality of personally identifiable data, information or records pertaining to a student with a disability. Such personally identifiable information shall not be disclosed by any officer or employee of the State Education Department or any school district, or member of a committee on special education or committee on preschool special education to any person other than the parent of such student, except in accordance with sections 300.500 through 300.536 and sections 300.610 through 300.625 and part 99 of title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Code of Federal Regulations, 2009 edition, title 34, sections 300.500 - 300.536, sections 300.610 through 300.625, and part 99, Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-0001; 2009 - available at the Office of Counsel, èɰƵ, State Education Building, Room 148, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234);
(7) for implementing schoolwide approaches, which may include a response to intervention process pursuant to section 100.2(ii) of this Title, and prereferral interventions in order to remediate a student's performance prior to referral for special education;
(8) for the selection and board appointment of an impartial hearing officer consistent with the procedures in paragraph (e)(1) of this section and section 200.5(j) of this Part;
(9) and establishes a plan, pursuant to sections 1604(29-a), 1709(4-a), 2503(7-a) and 2554(7-a) of the Education Law, to ensure that all instructional materials to be used in the schools of the district are available in a usable alternative format, which shall meet the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard; in accordance with appendix C to part 300 of title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Code of Federal Regulations, 2009 edition, title 34, part 300, appendix C, Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-0001; 2009 - available at the Office of Counsel, èɰƵ, State Education Building, Room 148, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234), for each student with a disability in accordance with the student's educational needs and course selections at the same time that such materials are available to nondisabled students. For purposes of this paragraph, alternative format is defined as any medium or format for the presentation of instructional materials, other than a traditional print textbook, that is needed as an accommodation for a student with a disability enrolled in the school district, including but not limited to Braille, large print, open and closed captioned, audio, or an electronic file. An electronic file must be compatible with at least one alternative format conversion software program that is appropriate to meet the needs of the individual student. The plan shall:
(i) ensure that the district gives a preference in the purchase of the instructional materials it has selected for its students to those vendors who agree to provide such instructional materials in alternative formats;
(ii) specify, when an electronic file is provided, how the format will be accessed by students and/or how the district will convert to an accessible format;
(iii) specify the process to be used when ordering materials to identify the needs of students with disabilities residing in the district for alternative format materials;
(iv) specify ordering timelines to ensure that alternative format materials are available at the same time as regular format materials are available; and
(v) include procedures so that when students with disabilities move into the school district during the school year, the process to obtain needed materials in alternative formats for such students is initiated without delay;
(10) to ensure that:
(i) each regular education teacher, special education teacher, related service provider and/or other service provider, as defined in clause (a) of this subparagraph, who is responsible for the implementation of a student's individualized education program (IEP) is provided a paper or electronic copy of such student's IEP, including amendments to the IEP, made pursuant to section 200.4(g) of this Part, prior to the implementation of such program or shall be able to access such student's IEP electronically. If the policy provides that students' IEPs are to be accessed electronically, then such policy shall also ensure that the individuals responsible for the implementation of a student's IEP shall be notified and trained on how to access such IEPs electronically:
(a) for purposes of this paragraph, other service provider means a representative of another public school district, charter school, Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), or school enumerated in article 81, 85 or 89 of the Education Law where the student receives or will receive IEP services;
(ii) any copy of a student's IEP provided pursuant to this paragraph shall remain confidential and shall not be disclosed to any other person, in accordance with paragraph (6) of this subdivision; and
(iii) the chairperson of the committee on special education designates for each student one, or as appropriate, more than one professional employee of the school district with knowledge of the student's disability and education program to, prior to the implementation of the IEP, inform each regular education teacher, special education teacher, related service provider, other service provider, supplementary school personnel, as defined in section 200.1(hh) of this Part, and other provider and support staff person of his or her responsibility to implement the recommendations on a student's IEP, including the responsibility to provide specific accommodations, program modifications, supports and/or services for the student in accordance with the IEP;
(11) that identify the measurable steps it shall take to recruit, hire, train and retain highly qualified personnel, as defined in section 120.6 of this Title and 34 CFR 300.18 (Code of Federal Regulations, 2009 edition, title 34, section 300.18, Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-0001; 2009 - available at the Office of Counsel, èɰƵ, Room 148, State Education Building, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234), to provide special education programs and services;
(12) that describe the guidelines for the provision of appropriate accommodations necessary to measure the academic achievement and functional performance of the student in the administration of districtwide assessments;
(13) that identify how the district, to the extent feasible, will use universal design principles in developing and administering any districtwide assessment programs; and
(14) to ensure that the school district publicly reports on revisions to its policies, procedures and/or practices upon a finding by the Department that the district has inappropriate policies, procedures or practices resulting in a significant disproportionality by race/ethnicity in the suspension, identification, classification and/or placement of students with disabilities.
(c) District plans.
(1) Each board of education which receives an apportionment for eligible students with disabilities, pursuant to section 3602 of the Education Law, or preschool students with disabilities pursuant to section 4410 of the Education Law shall use such apportionments for special education programs and services which are in accordance with the provisions of this Part. Each board of education which receives such apportionment shall keep on file and make available for public inspection and review by the commissioner an acceptable plan as required by subdivision 8(b) of section 3602 of the Education Law.
(2) Each such plan shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:
(i) a description of the nature and scope of special education programs and services currently available to students and preschool students residing in the district, including but not limited to descriptions of the district's resource room programs and each special class program provided by the district in terms of group size and composition;
(ii) identification of the number and age span of students and preschool students to be served by type of disability, and recommended setting;
(iii) the method to be used to evaluate the extent to which the objectives of the program have been achieved;
(iv) a description of the policies and practices of the board of education to ensure the continual allocation of appropriate space within the district for special education programs that meet the needs of students and preschool students with disabilities;
(v) a description of the policies and practices of the board of education to ensure that appropriate space will be continually available to meet the needs of resident students and preschool students with disabilities who attend special education programs provided by boards of cooperative educational services;
(vi) a description of how the district intends to ensure that all instructional materials to be used in the schools of the district will be made available in a usable alternative format, as such term is defined in paragraph (b)(8) of this section, for each student with a disability at the same time as such instructional materials are available to nondisabled students. To meet this requirement, the district plan may incorporate by reference the plan established by the board of education pursuant to paragraph (b)(8) of this section;
(vii) the estimated budget to support such plan;
(viii) the date on which such plan was adopted by the board of education.
(3) Any change to the allocation of space for special education programs shall be made in consideration of the needs of participating students with disabilities for placement in the least restrictive environment and for the stability and continuity of their program placements.
(4) The district plan, with personally identifiable student information deleted, shall be filed and available for public inspection and review by the commissioner.
(d) Approval of services.
(1) Approval of services for students with disabilities. The board of education or board of trustees of each school district shall, upon completion of its review of the recommendation of the committee on special education for special education programs and services, including changes to the committee on special education's recommendation made pursuant to section 200.4(g) of this Part, in accordance with section 200.4(e)(1) and (2) of this Part, arrange for the appropriate special education programs and services to be provided to a student with a disability as recommended by the committee on special education. The board shall notify the parent of its action in accordance with section 4402(2)(b)(2) of the Education Law.
(2) Approval of services for preschool students with disabilities. The board of education or the board of trustees of each school district shall, upon completion of the recommendation of the committee on preschool special education for special education programs and services, including changes to the committee's recommendation made pursuant to section 200.4(g) of this Part, arrange for appropriate special education programs and services for a preschool student with a disability, as recommended by the committee on preschool special education, from among the services and programs approved for such purpose by the commissioner. The board shall notify the parent, the municipality and the commissioner of its action in accordance with section 4410 of the Education Law.
(e) Maintenance of lists. The board of education or trustees of each school district shall establish a list of:
(1) the name and statement of the qualifications of each impartial hearing officer who is:
(i) certified by the Commissioner of Education pursuant to section 220.1(x)(4) of this Part; and
(ii) available to serve in the district in hearings conducted pursuant to Education Law § 4404(1). Appointment of impartial hearing officers pursuant to Education Law § 4404(1), except as otherwise provided in this subparagraph, shall be made only from such list and in accordance with the rotation selection process prescribed herein and the timelines and procedures in section 200.5(j) of this Part. Such names will be listed in alphabetical order. Selection from such list shall be made on a rotational basis beginning with the first name appearing after the impartial hearing officer who last served or, in the event no impartial hearing officer on the list has served, beginning with the first name appearing on such list. Should that impartial hearing officer decline appointment, or if, within 24 hours, the impartial hearing officer fails to respond or is unreachable after reasonable efforts by the district that are documented and can be independently verified, each successive impartial hearing officer whose name next appears on the list shall be offered appointment, until such appointment is accepted. The name of any newly certified impartial hearing officer who is available to serve in the district shall be inserted into the list in alphabetical order. Provided, however, that in a city school district having a population of one million or more inhabitants:
(a) Any impartial hearing officers employed by, or reporting to, a permanent, standing administrative tribunal employing more than one impartial hearing officer shall be first in an alphabetical rotation when new cases are assigned, and any impartial hearing officer not employed by, or reporting to, a permanent standing administrative tribunal, will be listed in alphabetical order thereafter.
(b) Any certified impartial hearing officer available for appointment may accept more than one case at a time.
(c) Any permanent standing administrative tribunal employing more than one impartial hearing officer at a time may reassign cases between impartial hearing officers employed by, or reporting to such permanent standing administrative tribunal, to manage administrative needs such as workload distribution.
(2) persons from whom the district shall choose a surrogate parent pursuant to section 200.5(n) of this Part; and
(3) preschool programs within the county in which the district is located and preschool programs in adjoining counties, or, in the case of districts located in the City of New York, preschool programs within the City of New York and preschool programs within counties adjoining the City of New York. The list of preschool programs shall be available for dissemination at appropriate sites including, but not limited to, prekindergarten, day care and head start programs within the district, and Early Childhood Direction Centers.
(f) Responsibilities of boards of education which provide education pursuant to part II of article 41 of the Education Law (sections 2040 - 2045). Where a board of education provides for the education of all of its students, or of all of its students of any particular grade, by contracting with another board of education pursuant to section 2040 or 2045 of the Education Law, the committee on special education of the receiving school district shall serve as the committee on special education for all students so placed in such receiving school district.
(g) Facilities for special education programs. The district superintendent of schools shall determine the adequacy and appropriateness of the facilities space available to house special education programs in the geographic area served by the board of cooperative educational services, consistent with the least restrictive environment requirement and to ensure the stability and continuity of program placements for students with disabilities, including procedures that ensure that special education programs and services located in appropriate facilities will not be relocated without adequate consideration of the needs of participating students with disabilities.
(h) The board of education or trustees of each school district and each board of cooperative educational services shall develop and implement a plan as part of the professional learning plan pursuant to section 100.2(dd) of this Title that shall include, but is not limited to, a description of the professional learning activities provided to all professional staff and supplementary school personnel who work with students with disabilities to assure that they have the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
(i) Responsibility of boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES).
(1) Responsibility for ensuring the availability of instructional materials in alternative formats for students with disabilities. By July 1, 2002, each BOCES shall establish a plan to ensure that all instructional materials to be used in the programs of the BOCES are available in a usable alternative format, which shall meet National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard in accordance with appendix C to part 300 of title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Code of Federal Regulations, 2009 edition, title 34, part 300, appendix C, Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-0001; 2009 - available at the Office of Counsel, èɰƵ, State Education Building, Room 148, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234), for each student with a disability in accordance with the student's educational needs and course selections at the same time that such materials are available to nondisabled students. For purposes of this subdivision, alternative format is defined as any medium or format for the presentation of instructional materials, other than a traditional print textbook, that is needed as an accommodation for a student with a disability enrolled in a program of the BOCES, including but not limited to Braille, large print, open and closed captioned, audio, or an electronic file. An electronic file must be compatible with at least one alternative format conversion software program that is appropriate to meet the needs of the individual student. The plan shall:
(i) ensure that the BOCES gives a preference in the purchase of the instructional materials it has selected for its students to those vendors who agree to provide such instructional materials in alternative formats;
(ii) specify, when an electronic file is provided, how the format will be accessed by students and/or how the BOCES will convert to an accessible format;
(iii) specify the process to be used when ordering materials to identify the needs of students enrolled in the programs of the BOCES for alternative format materials;
(iv) specify ordering timelines to ensure that alternative format materials are available at the same time as regular format materials are available; and
(v) include procedures so that when students with disabilities enroll in a program of the BOCES during the school year, the process to obtain needed materials in alternative format is initiated without delay.
(2) Responsibility to identify and take measurable steps to recruit, hire, train and retain highly qualified personnel. Each BOCES shall identify and take steps to recruit, hire, train and retain highly qualified personnel to provide special education programs and services to students with disabilities served by the BOCES.