All students with disabilities who require special education services have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The IEP contains information about your child’s interests, strengths, needs, goals, and educational program. It is a legal document that describes how the DOE will provide your child:
- A Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
- In the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
Moving to High School
You and your child should begin to plan for this transition as early as sixth grade. Planning early will give your family time to consider which high school options will best support your child in fulfilling goals for college, careers, and independent living. Here are some recommended steps you can take with your IEP team to prepare when your child is in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade.
Grade 6
Transition to Middle School
At your child’s annual IEP meeting:
- Ask how your child’s special education programs/services will help your child meet the challenges of seventh grade.
- Discuss whether changes to your child’s IEP may be needed to support growth and progress in seventh grade and prepare your child for eighth grade and high school.
- If your child has an IEP , complete the Level 1 Vocational Interview, a helpful tool for matching your child’s academic program to your child’s college and career goals.
Grade 7
Think about High School
At your child’s annual IEP meeting:
- Ask about your child’s progress and how your child’s special education programs/services will help your child meet the challenges of eighth grade and high school.
- Discuss whether changes to your child’s IEP may be needed to support growth and progress in eighth grade and prepare your child for high school.
- To better understand the high school admissions process, attend family workshops the summer before your child begins eighth grade
Grade 8
Apply to High School
At your child’s annual IEP meeting:
- Ask about transition planning and the special education programs/services that will help your child achieve your child’s goals.
- Discuss high school graduation requirements and diploma options.
- In June and over the summer, attend high school orientations and/or information sessions at your child’s future high school.
Find Out More
- High School
Other Considerations for Students with IEPs
Students in District Schools
Every high school is expected to welcome and serve students with disabilities. Students who have IEPs take part in the same admissions process as their non-disabled peers. They:
- May apply to any high school program listed in the NYC High School Directory:
Exception occured while executing the controller. Check error logs for details.
- Are held to the same admissions requirements as non-disabled students. This includes
- Taking the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT)
- Applying for all screened and audition programs.
Students in Specialized Programs
Students in ASD and ACES Programs
- Must complete the same high school application as their non-disabled peers.
- If you want your child to continue in a specialized program you must also complete a high school application for that program. Your child’s guidance counselor can give you the high school application. Return the completed application to your child’s current school.
Students in BSE Programs
Talk with your IEP team about how your child’s language needs will be met in high school. For more information, visit the page on specialized programs or contact Specialized Programs at [email protected](Open external link).
Students in District 75
Talk to the IEP team, of which you are a member, to determine if your child will require a District 75 program for high school. Some children may transition to a less restrictive environment at this time.
Students Continuing in District 75
Is your child in a District 75 program for high school? If so, your child will not participate in the high school admissions process. The District 75 placement office will contact you in May or June with information about where your child will attend high school.
Students Exiting District 75
If the IEP team determines that your child no longer needs a District 75 program, he or she will participate in the high school admissions process.
Testing Accommodations
If your child’s IEP or 504 plan lists testing accommodations, they will be provided during all of the following (provided that the accommodations do not change what the test or activity is measuring):
- SHSAT administration
- School-based screening activities
- Auditions
Was your child declassified in grades 8-12? The IEP team can recommend that they continue to receive testing accommodations in high school. The continuation of testing accommodations or the “safety net” should be included in your child’s last IEP, which is used to document declassification support services.
Find Out More
Special Education Resources
- A Parent’s Guide to Special Education provides information for parents, guardians and other family members about laws, regulations and policies affecting special education programs and services. It is also available in Spanish.
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/parentguide.htm
- The IEP Process
https://pwsauth.nycenet.edu/special-education/the-iep-process
- Curriculum Instruction toward the Common Core Learning Standards provides resources to assist parents of children with disabilities to have a better understanding of the Common Core Learning Standards and how the child’s individualized education program (IEP) should include recommendations to support their child’s progress towards those standards. http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/commoncore/instructionCCLS-parents-614.htm
- Resolving Concerns About Your Child’s Special Education Services? provides information and steps to resolve concerns regarding your child and his/her special education programs or services. http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/policy/dueprocessbroch.htm
- Planning for College is an online planning tool young adults with disabilities can use to help plan for college. It provides video clips, activities and additional resources that can help a student prepare for college life.
.
Special Education Staff
Claudia Cespedes
Occupational Therapist
Email: [email protected]
Udele Eshun
Math Teacher: 703, 803
Assigned Caseload: 703
Email: [email protected]
Anika Greene-Blake
Math Teacher: 603, 604, 704
Assigned Caseload: 704
Email: [email protected]
Alexandra Gutierrez
Humanities Teacher: 805
Assigned Caseload: 805
Email: [email protected]
Jessica Horsford
Teaching Assistant/Paraprofessional
Email: [email protected]
Courtney McMillian
SETSS Teacher
Assigned Caseload: SETSS
Email: [email protected]
Lesly Miranda
Humanities Teacher: 705, 806
Assigned Caseload: 705
Email: [email protected]
Carmen Obando
Speech Therapist- Bilingual
Email: [email protected]
Carlos Parra
Math Teacher: 705, 805
Assigned Caseload: 706
Email: [email protected]
Iris Payano
Humanities Teacher: 603, 703
Assigned Caseload: 603
Email: [email protected]
Julissa Quinones
Math Teacher: 606, 806
Assigned Caseload: 806
Email: [email protected]
Sherry Schleifer
Speech Therapist
Email: [email protected]
Justine Toledo
Humanities Teacher: 604, 704, 803
Assigned Caseload: 803
Email: [email protected]
Jessika Valdez
Humanities Teacher: 606, 706
Assigned Caseload: 606
Email: [email protected]
Matilde Vasquez
Guidance Counselor
Email: [email protected]
Rosa Zelaya
Science Teacher: 604, 705, 706, 806
Assigned Caseload: 604
Email: [email protected]
