Williamsville Central School District

Font Size

Students with Disabilities

Adoption Date: 7/7/2009
7000 - Students

7616 - PRE-REFERRAL INTERVENTION STRATEGIES IN GENERAL EDUCATION (PRIOR TO A REFERRAL FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION)

The District shall establish a plan for implementing schoolwide approaches and prereferral interventions in order to remediate a student's performance prior to referral for special education.

The provision of programs and/or services for students starts with consideration/implementation of instruction in the general education curriculum, with appropriate supports and/or modifications as may be necessary. In implementing prereferral intervention strategies, the District may utilize resources/strategies already in place for qualified students including, but not limited to, services available through Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Educationally Related Support Services and Academic Intervention Services as defined in Education Law and/or Commissioner's Regulations. All of these programs may be considered as possible components of Prereferral/Intervention Instructional Support Plans. The District will ensure that they have a system in place, with appropriate personnel, for developing, implementing and evaluating prereferral intervention strategies.

The District will provide general education support services, instructional modifications, alternative instructional approaches, or alternative program options to address a student's performance prior to a referral to a Committee on Special Education (CSE). Parents/persons in parental relation to students will be involved in developing prereferral strategies to address the educational needs of their child.

Administration shall ensure that appropriate opportunities exist for collaboration between general educators and special educators, and that consultation and support are available to teachers and other school personnel to assist parents/persons in parental relation to students and teachers in exploring alternative approaches for meeting the individual needs of any student prior to formal referral for special education.

The determination of prevention and prereferral intervention strategies/services shall consider the student's strengths, environment, social history, language and cultural diversity in addition to the teacher's concerns. The building administrator will further ensure that all staff are familiar with intervention procedures.

Prereferral/Intervention Plans shall be proactive in their strategies to meet the broad range of student needs and to improve student performance. Prereferral/Intervention strategies are to be reviewed and evaluated to determine their effectiveness, and modified as may be appropriate. Appropriate documentation of the prevention and/or intervention strategies implemented shall be maintained.

However, should a referral be made to the CSE during the course of implementing prereferral/intervention instructional support services, the CSE is obligated in accordance with law to continue its duties and functions, and must meet mandatory time lines in evaluating the student for special education services and implementation of an individualized education program, if applicable.

Educational Related Support Services
Educational related support services (ERSS) means curriculum and instructional modification services; direct student support team services; assessment and non-career counseling services; special instruction to eligible students with disabilities as defined in Education Law Section 4401, which does not generate excess cost aid including related services but excluding transportation and transition services; and to eligible, qualified students pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These services are provided to eligible students, individually or in groups, and may include those related consultation services provided to their families and related school personnel in order to enhance the academic achievement and attendance of such students. Educational related support services shall also mean speech and language improvement services as defined in Commissioner's Regulations.

ERSS may be utilized as a component of any Prereferral/Intervention Plan.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

For students who are qualified for services pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, but are not classified as students with disabilities as defined in Education Law Section 4401, Section 504 Accommodation Plans may address instructional support services that can be utilized as components of any prereferral/intervention strategies as deemed necessary and/or appropriate.

Academic Intervention Services
Academic intervention services means additional instruction which supplements the instruction provided in the general education curriculum and assists students in meeting the State learning standards as defined in Commissioner's Regulations and/or student support services which may include guidance, counseling, attendance, and study skills which are needed to support improved academic performance.

However, such services shall not include services provided to students with limited English proficiency pursuant to Commissioner's Regulations or special education services and programs as defined in Education Law Section 4401. Academic intervention services are intended to assist students who are at risk of not achieving the State learning standards in English language arts, mathematics, social studies and/or science, or who are at risk of not gaining the knowledge and skills needed to meet or exceed designated performance levels on State assessments.

The District has developed a description of the academic intervention services offered to grades K through 12 students in need of such services. The District will review and revise this description every two (2) years based on student performance results.

Parental notification of students who have been determined to need academic intervention services will be provided as per Commissioner's Regulations.

In implementing prevention and/or prereferral intervention support strategies in order to remediate a student's performance prior to referral for special education, the utilization of academic intervention services, as enumerated in Commissioner's Regulations, may be included as a component of any such Prereferral/Intervention Plan.

  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 United States Code (USC) Section 794 et seq.
  • Education Law Sections 3602(32), 4401 and 4401-a
  • New York Code of Rules and Regulations (NYCRR) Sections 100.1(g), 100.1(p), 100.1(r), 100.1(s), 100.1(t), 100.2(v), 100.2(dd)(4), 100.2(ee), 200.2(b)(7), 200.4(a)(2), 200.4(a)(9); 200.4(c) and Part 154

« BACK | BACK TO POLICY SERIES