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Section 200.3 Committee on special education and committee on preschool special education.
(a) Each board of education or board of trustees shall appoint:
(1) committees on special education in accordance with the provisions of Education Law, section 4402, as necessary to ensure timely evaluation and placement of students. The membership of each committee shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) the parents or persons in parental relationship to the student;
(ii) not less than one regular education teacher of the student whenever the student is or may be participating in the regular education environment;
(iii) not less than one special education teacher of the student, or, if appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the student;
(iv) a school psychologist;
(v) a representative of the school district who is qualified to provide or supervise special education and who is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum and the availability of resources of the school district, provided that an individual who meets these qualifications may also be the same individual appointed as the special education teacher or the special education provider of the student or the school psychologist. The representative of the school district shall serve as the chairperson of the committee;
(vi) an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results. such individual may also be the individual appointed as the regular education teacher, the special education teacher or special education provider, the school psychologist, the representative of the school district or a person having knowledge or special expertise regarding the student when such member is determined by the school district to have the knowledge and expertise to fulfill this role on the committee;
(vii) a school physician, if specifically requested in writing by the parent of the student or by a member of the school at least 72 hours prior to the meeting;
(viii) an additional parent member of a student with a disability residing in the school district or a neighboring school district, provided that the additional parent member may be the parent of a student who has been declassified within a period not to exceed five years or the parent of a student who has graduated within a period not to exceed five years, if specifically requested in writing by the parent of the student, the student or by a member of the committee at least 72 hours prior to the meeting;
(ix) other persons having knowledge or special expertise regarding the student, including related services personnel as appropriate, as the school district or the parent(s) shall designate. The determination of knowledge or special expertise of such person shall be made by the party (parents or school district) who invited the individual to be a member of the committee on special education; and
(x) if appropriate, the student;
(2) committees on preschool special education in accordance with provisions of Education Law, section 4410 to implement the provisions of section 200.16 of this Part. The membership of each committee on preschool special education shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) the parents of the preschool child;
(ii) not less than one regular education teacher of the child whenever the child is or may be participating in the regular education environment;
(iii) not less than one special education teacher of the child, or, if appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the child;
(iv) a representative of the school district who is qualified to provide or supervise special education and who is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum and the availability of preschool special education programs and services and other resources of the school district and the municipality. The representative of the school district shall serve as the chairperson of the committee;
(v) an additional parent member of a child with a disability residing in the school district or a neighboring school district and whose child is enrolled in a preschool or elementary level education program, if specifically requested in writing by the parent of the student or by a member of the committee at least 72 hours prior to the meeting;
(vi) an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results, provided that such individual may also be the individual appointed as the regular education teacher, the special education teacher or special education provider, the school psychologist, the representative of the school district or a person having knowledge or special expertise regarding the student when such member is determined by the school district to have the knowledge and expertise to fulfill this role on the committee;
(vii) other persons having knowledge or special expertise regarding the child, including related services personnel as appropriate, as the school district or the parents shall designate. The determination of knowledge or special expertise of such person shall be made by the party (parents or school district) who invited the individual to be a member of the committee on preschool special education;
(viii) for a child in transition from early intervention programs and services, at the request of the parent, the appropriate professional designated by the agency that has been charged with the responsibility for the preschool child; and
(ix) a representative of the municipality of the preschool child's residence, provided that the attendance of the appointee of the municipality shall not be required for a quorum.
(b) Each child care institution, as defined in Education Law, section 4001, maintaining a school, shall appoint a committee on special education in accordance with the provisions of Education Law, section 4402.
(c) The board of education in a city school district in a city having a population in excess of 125,000 inhabitants shall appoint subcommittees on special education to the extent necessary to ensure timely evaluation and placement of students with disabilities. Boards of education or trustees of any school district outside of a city having a population in excess of 125,000 inhabitants may appoint subcommittees on special education to assist the board of education in accordance with Education Law, section 4402(1)(b)(1)(b) and the provisions of this subdivision.
(1) The board of education shall determine the number of subcommittees to be appointed, upon the recommendation of the committee on special education.
(2) The membership of each subcommittee shall include, but not be limited to:
(i) the parents of the student;
(ii) not less than one regular education teacher of the student whenever the student is or may be participating in the regular education environment;
(iii) not less than one of the student's special education teachers or, if appropriate, not less than one special education provider of the student;
(iv) a representative of the school district who is qualified to provide, administer or supervise special education and who is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum and who is knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the school district, who may also fulfill the requirement of subparagraph (iii) or (v) of this paragraph. The representative of the school district shall serve as the chairperson of the subcommittee;
(v) a school psychologist, whenever a new psychological evaluation is reviewed or a change to a program option with a more intensive staff/student ratio, as set forth in section 200.6(h)(4) of this Part, is considered;
(vi) an individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluation results, who may be a member appointed pursuant to subparagraphs (ii) through (v) or (vii) of this paragraph;
(vii) such other persons having knowledge or special expertise regarding the student, including related services personnel as appropriate, as the committee or the parent shall designate. The determination of knowledge or special expertise of such person shall be made by the party (parents or school district) who invited the individual to be a member of the subcommittee on special education; and
(viii) the student, if appropriate.
(3) Each subcommittee may perform the functions of the committee on special education pursuant to the provisions of Education Law, section 4402, except as specified in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subdivision.
(4) The subcommittee may perform the functions of the committee on special education pursuant to the provisions of Education Law, section 4402, except when a student is considered for initial placement in:
(i) a special class; or
(ii) a special class outside of the student's school of attendance; or
(iii) a school primarily serving students with disabilities or a school outside of the student's district.
(5) Upon receipt of a written request from the parent or legal guardian of a student, the subcommittee shall immediately refer to the committee for its review any recommendation of the subcommittee concerning the identification, evaluation, educational placement or provision of a free appropriate public education to a student that is not acceptable to the parent or person in parental relationship to such student.
(6) Each subcommittee shall report annually the status of each student with a disability within its jurisdiction to the committee on special education.
(d) The regular education teacher of the student with a disability must, to the extent appropriate, participate in development, review and revision of a student's IEP, including assisting in the determination of:
(1) appropriate positive behavioral interventions and supports and other strategies for the student; and
(2) supplementary aids and services, program modifications and supports for school personnel that will be provided for the student, consistent with section 200.4(d) of this Part.
(e) Role of the chairperson of the committee. The chairperson of the committee on special education, committee on preschool special education and subcommittee on special education shall preside over a meeting of such committee and carry out the functions of a chairperson identified in this Part and in the Education Law, including but not limited to sections 200.2(b)(10)(iii), 200.4(a), 200.5(b)(1)(i)(c) and, as appropriate, 200.16(b)(1) of this Part, and sections 4401-a, 4402(7)(c) and, as appropriate, 4410(3) of the Education Law.
(f) Member attendance. Except as otherwise provided in this section, all members of a committee on special education, a committee on preschool special education, or a subcommittee on special education shall attend a meeting of such committee, except that the parent and the school district may agree that the attendance of a member is not necessary or that a member of the committee may be excused in accordance with the following procedures pursuant to sections 4308(2)(f) through (h), 4355(2)(f) through (h), 4402(1)(b)(1)(b-1) through (b-3), 4402(1)(b)(1)(d), and 4410(3)(a)(3) through (5) of the Education Law.
(1) A member of such committee or subcommittee is not required to attend a meeting of the committee, in whole or in part, if the parent and the school district agree, in writing, that the attendance of the member is not necessary because the member's area of the curriculum or related services is not being modified or discussed at the meeting.
(2) A member of such committee may be excused from attending a meeting of the committee or subcommittee, in whole or in part, when the meeting involves a modification to or discussion of the member's area of the curriculum or related services if the parent to the student and the school district consent, in writing, to the excusal and the excused member submits to the parent and such committee, written input into the development of the IEP, and in particular written input with respect to their area of curriculum or related services prior to the meeting.
(3) Requests for excusal of a member of a committee as provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subdivision, and the written input as provided for in paragraph (2) of this subdivision, shall be provided not less than five days prior to the meeting date, in order to afford the parent a reasonable time to review and consider the request. Provided however, that a parent shall retain the right to request and/or agree with the school district to excuse a member of the committee or subcommittee at any time including where the member is unable to attend the meeting because of an emergency or unavoidable scheduling conflict and the school district submits the written input for review and consideration by the parent within a reasonable time prior to the meeting and prior to obtaining written consent of the parent to such excusal.
(4) Requests for excusals do not apply to the parents of the student or the appointee of the municipality in the case of a committee on preschool special education.