Policy 7612

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
7612 GROUPING BY SIMILARITY OF NEEDS


The Board will provide appropriate special education and related services to students with disabilities. For those students for whom an appropriate education requires that they be placed together for purposes of special education, the following guidelines will apply:

a) Each student with a disability will be identified, evaluated, and placed as determined by the Committee on Special Education (CSE).

b) The CSE will determine written goals, including academic and functional goals, for each student with a disability by considering the special and individual needs of each student with a disability. Short-term instructional objectives and/or benchmarks will be created for each preschool student with a disability and for students who take New York State alternate assessments.

c) The CSE will recommend to the Board appropriate educational programs and services for each student with a disability based upon the CSE evaluation. 

d) The CSE will provide information to those teachers and professionals who arrange instructional groups for students with disabilities. Information will include physical, psychological, and social information as well as achievement test results.

e) The curriculum and instruction provided to students with disabilities who are grouped by similarity of needs will be consistent with the individual needs of each student in the group.

f) Students with disabilities may be grouped according to:

1. Academic achievement, functional performance, and learning characteristics;
2. Social development;
3. Physical development; and
4. Management needs.

g) When grouping students by similarity of needs, the social needs or physical development of a student will not be the sole determinant for placement of a student in a special education program.

h) The management needs of these students may vary, provided that environmental modifications, adaptations, or human or material resources required to meet the needs of any one student in the group are provided and do not consistently detract from the opportunities of other students in the group to benefit from instruction.



Policy References:
8 NYCRR §§ 200.1(ww), 200.2(b)(3), 200.4(d) and 200.6(a)(3)



Adopted: 6/22/99
Revised: 9/6/22

Policy 7612