Pupil Personnel Services

The Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) coordinates the entire preschool evaluation process for children 3-5 years of age who live in the Edgemont School District. The CPSE is a multidisciplinary team of individuals who meet to determine if a child is eligible for preschool special education services according to New York State regulations.

The Committee on Special Education (CSE) is responsible for children 5-21 years of age with disabilities. The CSE, like the CPSE, is a multidisciplinary team of individuals who meet to determine if a student is eligible for special education services according to New York State regulations. The Committee oversees initial evaluations, placements, annual reviews, and reevaluations for all Edgemont School District students. Like the CPSE, if a child is eligible, the CSE develops an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) and implements its recommendations. Parents have the legal right (see Due Process) to agree or disagree with any recommendation, goals, or objectives recommended for their child. This Committee meets for the initial referral and at least annually for every child who receives special education services.

If your child is a resident and attends one of the three public schools in Edgemont, that school is responsible for evaluating the student, developing the IEP, and providing the special education services. If your child is recommended for special education services that cannot be provided in his or her home school, an appropriate placement, within Edgemont, or in an out-of-district public or private school will be recommended.

The CPSE/CSE team recommends services in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) appropriate to your child’s needs. This means that the committee must consider how special education services can be provided to your child that will allow him or her to be educated with children who do not have disabilities, to the maximum extent appropriate.

The Office of Pupil Personnel Services is also involved with students requiring Section 504 Accommodation plans. In accordance with Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, students who have “a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities” may require a 504 plan. The plan defines modifications and accommodations that will be needed in the school setting for students to have an opportunity to perform at the same level as their peers. Although this is a building level service, the Office of Special Service is involved with the coordination and implementation of Section 504 Accommodation plans.