Step 4: Starting IEP Services
After the team develops your child’s IEP, the CPSE is responsible for starting all the services that are recommended on the IEP. The IEP is a legal document, and your child has a right to receive all of the services on it.
After the IEP meeting, the CPSE administrator will ask you to sign a form agreeing to the services listed on your child’s IEP. If you agree with the services, you should sign and return the form so that your child can begin those services. Your child cannot receive services unless you give consent by signing the form.
If you decide that you do not want your child to receive any special education services, then you should write on the form that you do not want your child to receive any services. The CPSE will close your child’s case. If you change your mind later, you can send a new referral letter to the CPSE.
If you want your child to receive services that are different from the services listed on the IEP, you may want to write a statement on the form explaining your disagreement. If you agree that your child should receive the services on the IEP, but think that your child needs additional services as well, you can sign consent for the IEP services to begin and note on the form that you think your child needs more services. For example, if your child’s IEP recommends speech therapy and you agree that your child needs speech therapy but think that your child also needs SEIT services, you can sign consent for the speech therapy on your child’s IEP to begin and note on the form that you think your child needs SEIT services as well. You can ask for a new IEP meeting, mediation, or an impartial hearing to address your disagreement.
When will my child receive the services on his or her IEP?
Your child’s services should start as soon as possible after the IEP meeting. The CPSE administrator must arrange for the services to begin as soon as possible, but no later than 60 school days (around three months) from the date that you signed the C-1P consent form during your first appointment at the evaluation agency. The start date should be listed on your child’s IEP.
If my child’s IEP recommends only related services, how will the CPSE arrange those services?
It is the CPSE’s responsibility to assign related services providers, such as speech therapists, occupational therapists, or physical therapists, to provide the related services listed on your child’s IEP. Most preschool children whose IEPs are for related services only or related services and SEIT will receive these services through an agency that has a contract with the CPSE. All About Kids is one of these agencies. If your child is in Pre-K at a public school, Department of Education providers working at the school may provide the services. (If your child is in a special class in an integrated setting or a special class, he or she will receive related services through his or her special education preschool program.) When appropriate, services should take place at your child’s Pre-K, preschool, child care center, or home. The location should be discussed at your child’s IEP meeting and written on the summary page of your child’s IEP.
Will my child receive transportation to his/her related services?
Your child should receive related services in the “least restrictive environment” appropriate for your child. For most children, this is the child’s Pre-K, preschool, child care, or home. However, if the IEP team decides that your child needs to get services at a related services agency or if the DOE is not able to find a therapist to go to your child’s preschool, child care, or home, then your child has a right to transportation provided by the CPSE. For example, if your child gets speech therapy at the speech therapist’s office, your child has the right to transportation to and from the office. If you can take your child to the speech therapist’s office, the CPSE will reimburse you for the amount you spend on MetroCards or taxi/car service. You should complete the reimbursement form available at http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/SpecialEducation/programs/relatedServices/ RSinformation.htm and give it to your CPSE administrator. If you cannot afford to wait for the DOE to reimburse you, you should ask your CPSE administrator to give you MetroCards in advance or arrange taxi/car service for you. If you cannot bring your child to the related services agency, the CPSE must arrange transportation for your child.
What should I do if there is a problem with my child’s related services?
It is the CPSE’s responsibility to assign related services providers, such as All About Kids, to your child. You have the right for your child to receive all of the related services on his or her IEP in a timely manner and at the appropriate location.
If your child is not receiving the related services on his or her IEP, you should first call your child’s CPSE administrator or the CPSE administrator responsible for related services who works in the same building.
If my child’s IEP recommends SEIT services, how will the CPSE arrange that program?
The CPSE is responsible for assigning your child to an agency, such as All About Kids that provides Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) services if SEIT is recommended on your child’s IEP. The SEIT agency will assign a provider to work with your child at your child’s Pre-K, preschool, child care center, or home.
If my child’s IEP recommends a special class in an integrated setting or special class, how will the CPSE arrange that program?
The CPSE is responsible for finding a placement in the type of special class (SC) or special class in an integrated setting (SCIS) recommended on your child’s IEP. The special class must be in a preschool program approved by the New York State Education Department. Most of these special classes are in preschools run by private or community-based organizations. Some of these special classes are located in New York City public schools. A list of state-approved private special education preschool programs is available online at http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/preschool/programlist-nyc-region.html (see SC or SCIS columns).
If your child has been recommended for a special class and you do not yet have a placement, you should contact your CPSE administrator.
Can I end my child’s preschool special education services?
Yes. You have the right to end special education services for your child at any time. To end preschool special education services, you should write a letter to your CPSE administrator stating that you no longer want your child to get any IEP services. The CPSE will no longer perform evaluations or hold IEP meetings for your child, and your child will no longer receive preschool special education services. If you end your child’s special education services and later change your mind, you may write a new referral letter and your child will be reevaluated.
Information provided by Advocates for Children of New York