Special Education Resources

List of 6 items.

• 1. What is an IESP?

  An Individualized Education Services Program (IESP) is a document that describes individualized recommendations for special education services and supports to meet the unique learning needs of a particular student with a qualifying disability who has been parentally-placed in a non-public school.  Even though Hunter College Campus Schools receives public funding and does not charge tuition, it is categorized as a non-public school by the Department of Education.

  
  For students with disabilities attending traditional public schools, their local school district provides special education through an Individualized Education Program (IEP).  The IEP would provide a description of the student’s present levels of performance and needs, accompanied by a list of accommodations, related services, individualized instruction, and annual goals designed to meet the needs of the student.  The local school district would then provide an appropriate placement, equipped with the resources, teachers, and providers needed to implement the student’s recommended educational program.  

  
  For students with disabilities who have been parentally-placed in non-public schools, their local school district cannot choose the student’s placement and therefore cannot create an IEP; instead, the Committee on Special Education (CSE) that serves the school district where the non-public school is located collaborates with the non-public school and parents to create an Individualized Education Services Program (IESP) that is designed to supplement, but not alter, the educational program provided by the non-public school.  There are some limitations to how much support an IESP can offer students because it cannot modify the existing curriculum or policies of the non-public school.  Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that the purpose of an IESP or IEP is to meet the needs of students with disabilities as adequately as the needs of nondisabled students are met in a traditional public school in the least restrictive setting or environment.

  
  There are two other formal student support plans available to students attending HCCS: HCCS Learning Plans and 504 Plans.  Although all types of plans provide some level of extra support to students with disabilities at HCCS, the three plans offer support in different ways.  See below for more information about Learning Plans and 504 Plans.

  • One key difference between IESPs, Learning Plans, and 504 Plans is that an IESP is created by the CSE, while both Learning Plans and 504 Plans are created by the school.
  • Another key difference between IESPs, Learning Plans, and 504 Plans is that an IESP can provide free access to services that are not already available at HCCS.

• 2. IESP requests:

  There are many pathways towards receiving an IESP for a student with a qualifying disability.  In some cases, students who transfer to HCCS from another school may already have an IEP or IESP.  In other cases, students may have never had an IEP or IESP before and may be interested in finding out if they are eligible to receive one for the first time.  All pathways begin with scheduling a meeting with the Liaison, who will help guide you through the process.  Although the school’s Liaison is available to help parents with this process, at parent-placement schools,  it is ultimately the responsibility of parents to make requests from the CSE and to exercise their due process rights if they disagree with the outcome of a CSE meeting, if they disagree with the contents of an IESP, or if they are unsatisfied with the implementation of the IESP.

• 3. IESP providers:

  At an IESP Meeting, the CSE may determine a child is eligible for related services (e.g., Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Special Education Teacher Support Services, etc.).  If related services are recommended on a student’s IESP, it is important to request related service providers from the CSE.  It is the responsibility of the CSE to find providers for students with IESPs.
  

  • If the CSE is unable to find providers, parents may request permission from the CSE to find their own providers.  
    • If the providers found by parents require a higher rate than the standard rate for DOE providers, then parents may request an enhanced rate authorization from the CSE. 
      • If the CSE is unwilling to approve an enhanced rate and is unable to provide a standard rate provider, then it may be necessary to exercise due process rights in order to receive the services on an IESP.  

  
  Although the school’s Liaison is available to help with this process, the responsibility of finding providers, arranging services, and requesting progress reports and meeting attendance from these providers is ultimately that of the parents and the CSE, as related service providers are not employed or supervised by the school, and their services do not always occur at the school.

• 4. IESP meetings:

  Once an IESP has been created, there are several types of meetings with the CSE that parents and at least one school representative must attend: Annual Meetings, Triennial Meetings, Reconvene Meetings, and Reevaluation Meetings.  It is important to prepare for each of these meetings by collecting current documentation of the student’s progress and needs.  This documentation can come from progress reports from IESP related service providers, current teachers, or recent evaluations.  Parents may request input from other professionals as well.  It is important, and required by law, to invite a representative of the school (usually the Liaison) to all IESP meetings, so that someone at the meeting can speak to the student’s performance and needs at school and to the resources available at HCCS.  Another reason for inviting a member of the school to the meeting is so that someone at the meeting can accurately and efficiently communicate changes to an IESP to teachers and administrators.

• 5. What is an HCCS Accommodation & Learning Plan?

  Hunter College Campus Schools Accommodation & Learning Plans are comprehensive descriptions of a student’s learning style and needs, including accommodations.  Learning Plans are designed to provide teachers with insight into the special learning needs of a student, and they are often based on the report from a neuropsychological evaluation.

  • In the High School, these plans are created by the Learning Specialist, with input from the High School Student Support Team.
  • In the Elementary School, these plans are created by the Assistant Principal and Principal, with input from the Elementary School Student Support Team.

  You may learn more about HCCS Accommodation & Learning Plans from the High School Learning Specialist or Elementary School Assistant Principal.

• 6. Learn more:

  Please contact the HCCS Special Education Liaison & Retention Specialist, Ms. Eri Silverstein, with any and all questions or concerns related to the IESP process.

  
  (e) Erica.Silverstein@HCCS.Hunter.CUNY.edu
  (w) 212-396-7480