A Preschool Student with a Disability refers to a preschool student who has been identified by the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) as eligible to receive special education programs and services.  To be identified as having a disability, a preschool student needs to display a significant delay in one or more functional areas related to cognitive, language and communication, adaptive, social-emotional, or motor development which adversely affects the student's ability to learn.  The delay must be documented by the results of an individual evaluation indicating:

• a twelve-month delay in one or more functional areas, or
• a 33% delay in one functional area, or a 25% delay in two functional areas, or
• Other standardized measure can be utilized, if appropriate, and a score of 2.0 standard deviation below the mean in one functional area, or a score of 1.5 standard deviations below the mean in each of two functional areas would qualify a student as having a delay

Referral Process:

The Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE), at CCSD,  is responsible for arranging an evaluation of any preschool student who is suspected of having a disability and lives within the district. Every preschool student must be registered prior to the evaluation process begining. Please see the document at the bottom of this page for further instructions.

The process begins when a written request for an evaluation is made by either:

• the student's parent or person in parental relationship,
• a professional staff member of the school district in which the student resides, or the public or private school the student legally attends,
• a staff member of a state approved special education preschool program,
• a staff member of an approved preschool program providing special instruction for children ages birth to three,
• a staff member of a program serving infants and toddlers or preschool students,
• a licensed physician or judicial officer,
• a representative of a public agency with responsibility for the welfare, care or education of students,
• a staff member from the department of health.

The referral must be in writing to:

Committee on Preschool Special Education
Office of Pupil Personnel Services
Clarkstown Central School District
62 Old Middletown Road
New City, NY 10956

 Evaluations:

Once a referral is received the Special Education Office will arrange for the evaluation which will include the following, at no cost to the parent:

• An individualized psychological evaluation,
• A social history,
• An observation,
• Other appropriate assessments or evaluations as necessary to ascertain the physical, mental and emotional factors, which contribute to the suspected disability,
• A physical evaluation.

Initial Eligibility Meeting:

Once the evaluation process is completed the parents/guardian will be invited to meet with the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) to determine if their child is eligible to be classified as a student with a disability and receive special education services. At this time, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be created if the student is determined to be eligible. An IEP is a written statement, developed, reviewed and revised as needed but at least annually. It is developed in agreement with the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. An IEP outlines the modifications, accommodations, placement, goals and/or related services that are necessary to meet the unique educational needs of a student with a disability.

Program Recommendations:

The CPSE must consider the appropriateness of services to meet the student's needs in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) in the following order:

• Related services only
• Special Education itinerant services only
• Related services in combination with Special Education itinerant services
• An integrated special education preschool program
• A half day special education preschool program
• A full day special education preschool program

The committee will first consider providing Special Education services in a setting with age appropriate peers without disabilities. All services, accommodations, modifications, and potential educational placements are discussed at the at the initial eligibility meeting once the student is determined to be classified as having a preschooler with a disability.