Special Education
The Northport-East Northport UFSD reopening plan provides a framework to ensure that all students with disabilities continue to have available to them a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living in the least restrictive environment (LRE). In consideration of the health, safety, and well-being of students, families, and staff, our plan is designed to enable transitioning between in-person, remote, and hybrid learning environments to ensure the provision of FAPE consistent with the changing health and safety conditions that exist.
Special education programs and services of the Northport-East Northport UFSD provide equity and access for students with disabilities to be involved in and to participate and progress in the general education curriculum with access to the necessary accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and services, and technology (including assistive technology) to meet the unique disability related needs of students. While not all formats allow for maximum benefit to students, these programs and services can be provided in all formats (live-person, hybrid, or remote). The Northport-East Northport UFSD will document the programs and services offered and provided to students with disabilities as well as the communications with parents in their preferred language and mode of communication within the contact log in our online data system (IEP DIRECT). The district will ensure access to the necessary accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and services, and technology (including assistive technology) to meet the unique disability related needs of students.
The District is committed to providing meaningful parent engagement in the parent’s preferred language or mode of communication regarding the provision of services to his/her child to meet the requirements of IDEA. Further, we will maintain regular communication with the parents/guardians and other family members of students to ensure that they are engaged in their children’s education during the reopening process.
The District will plan and support collaboration between the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) and Committee on Special Education (CSE) and program providers representing the variety of settings where students are served to ensure there is an understanding of the provision of services consistent with the recommendations on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), plans for monitoring and communicating student progress, and commitment to sharing resources.
The District will maintain records to document the implementation of each IEP. The documentation will include, but will not be limited to: narrative records of how the student is adjusting to live, hybrid, and remote instruction during 2020-2021, a record of what instruction and services were provided, a record of formative, summative, and standardized assessments and their results as well as progress monitoring documentation, and a record of school-family collaboration.
For information about meaningful parent engagement regarding the provision of services to a child to meet the requirements of the IDEA, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement section.
At the elementary level (grades K-5), all elementary special class (6:1:4; 12:1:1; 12:1:2) students will attend school with both the Blue & Gold groups. Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) and Direct Consultant Teaching (DCT) students will be assigned to either the blue or gold team and will attend school with their group on alternating days when we are in the hybrid model.
At the secondary level (grades 6-12), all special class (8:1:2; 8:1; 15:1:1; 15:1) students will attend school with both the Blue & Gold groups. Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) and Direct Consultant Teaching (DCT) students will be assigned to either the blue or gold team and will attend school with their group on alternating days when the District is operating in the hybrid model.
Elementary and secondary special class students will receive related services in person. Related service groups will be based on classroom rosters, to the greatest extent possible. Providers will create groups to service students from one class when possible. The goal is to have students in groups that are appropriate based on their level of need while at the same time maintaining static grouping. ICT and Resource Room students may require services to be provided both in person and virtually to provide the required frequency of the related service.