It can get quite confusing with all the special terms and acronyms used within the Education system. That is why we have compiled this list for easy use.
Terms or Acronyms in common use within the District
CSE: Committee on Special Education (CSE)
The CSE refers to the managing of the special education process for school-age students. It is a group of professionals and people who know the child to discuss that child’s needs. It always includes the parent, a special education teacher/provider, general education teacher and someone to facilitate the meeting (called the CSE Chairperson) and come to consensus if the committee (group) can’t agree on recommendations. It’s any student with an IEP in grades K-12+ (up to 21 years of age) who resides within the school district. CPSE is the preschool age version of the committee.
For more info: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/techassist/CSE-IEP.htm
Confidentiality: There are instances when you will be asked to provide your consent during the special education referral, evaluation, and placement process. Providing consent means that you:
- Have been fully informed about the action for which you are giving consent
- Understand and agree in writing to that action.
Consent is voluntary on your part and you may withdraw your consent at any time. Your withdrawal of consent does not undo an action that has occurred after you gave your consent and before you withdrew it.
Due Process: Procedures that, by law, are used to ensure your child’s rights to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and your rights to be involved and have a full understanding of that process.
EI: Early Intervention (EI)
The EI Program, under the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), supports families with children ages birth to 3 who have a disabilities or developmental delays.
Exit Summary: When a student with an IEP will no longer be eligible for special education — either because s/he will (a) graduate with a local or Regents endorsed diploma or (b) no longer be age-eligible — an “Exit Summary” will be provided. The Exit Summary will summarize the student’s academic achievement and functional performance and will include recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting his or her postsecondary goals.
FOIL: This is an acronym for Freedom of Information Law. The Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”), Article 6 (Sections 84-90) of the NYS Public Officers Law, provides the public right to access to records maintained by government agencies with certain exceptions.
“Record” means any information kept, held, filed, produced or reproduced by, with, or for this agency, in any physical form whatsoever including, but not limited to, reports, statements, examinations, memoranda, opinions, folders, files, books, manuals, pamphlets, forms, papers, designs, drawings, maps, photos, letters, microfilms, computer tapes or disks, rules, regulations or codes.
FAPE: Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
Special education programs and related services that are provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge to the parent.
FBA: Functional Behavioral Assessment
When a student engages in problem behaviors that may interfere with his or her learning or the learning of others, or that place the student or others at risk of harm or injury, a Functional Behavioral Assessment may be conducted. A Functional Behavioral Assessment is a process that is used to identify:
- The reasons for a behavior
- The possible interventions to address it
FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”
IEP: Individualized Education Program (IEP)
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) documents a child’s eligibility for special education services and formalizes the plan to provide special education programs and services that are appropriate for the child’s unique needs. It contains specific information about a child and the education program designed to meet these needs, including:
- A child’s current development and/or performance in school, and goals that can be reasonably accomplished in a school year;
- Special education and related services (including counseling and speech, occupational, or physical therapy), paraprofessional support, assistive technology, behavior intervention, and modifications;
- Participation with nondisabled children;
- Date services will begin, how often they will be provided, where they will be provided, and for how long; and
- Means of measuring a child’s progress.
- For more info: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/techassist/CSE-IEP.htm
Local Diploma: The local diploma is a high school diploma option available to students who are eligible for the Safety Net and will not meet or exceed the requirements for an advanced Regents or Regents diploma. The Safety Net provides additional flexibilities to support students with disabilities in earning a high school diploma. If a student uses the Safety Net options, they will earn a local diploma.
Mediation: Mediation is a confidential, voluntary process that allows parties to resolve disputes without a formal due process hearing. An impartial mediator helps the parties to express their views and positions and to understand the other’s views and positions. The mediator’s role is to facilitate discussion and help parties reach an agreement, not to recommend solutions or take positions or sides. If parties reach agreement, that agreement is binding and may not be appealed.
MOA: Acronym for Memorandum of Agreement.
Modifications: Modifications change the the content and/or the instructional level of the curriculum. While accommodations are changes in formats or procedures, modifications change the difficulty level and/or quantity of the content being taught. Modifications are made for students with disabilities who are unable to comprehend all of the content an instructor is teaching. For example, assignments might be reduced in number and modified significantly for an elementary school student with cognitive impairments that limit his or her ability to understand the content in the general education class in which they are included.
TAA: Acronym for Tuxedo Administrators’ Association.
TEU: Acronym for Tuxedo Employees Union (the employees’ union, which include bus drivers, teacher aides, custodians and maintenance workers, registered nurses, full-time monitors, and computer technicians)
TTA: Acronym for Tuxedo Teachers Association (the teachers’ union)
References:
Special Education Glossary: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/special-education/help/special-education-glossary
CSE-IEP info: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/techassist/CSE-IEP.htm
More on FOIL: https://otda.ny.gov/legal/foil/
More on FERPA: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html