• Special Education Program Descriptions

    Integrated Co-Teaching Services (ICT):  NYS Regulations define Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) as the provision of specially designed instruction and academic instruction provided to a group of students with disabilities and non-disabled students.  Effective July 1, 2008, the maximum number of students with disabilities that can be on the class roster of a class where integrated co-teaching services are provided is 12. The total of 12 students includes any student with a disability in that class, regardless of whether all the students are recommended for ICT.  While the use of ICT is encouraged, school districts are not required to offer ICT on the continuum of services.  School districts may strategically determine, based upon the needs of their students, to offer such services at certain grade levels, or in certain subjects.  At Cornwall Central Middle School, ICT classes are offered for all core subject areas (English, Math, Science, Social Studies) at each grade level.  At Cornwall Central High School, ICT classes are offered for all core subject areas (English, math, Science, and Social Studies) that have a required NYS Regents Exam associated with the course.  Students recommended for ICT are working toward a NYS Regents Diploma and may be recommended for general education, ICT or special (15:1) classes, depending upon the subject area and their individual needs.  There are six approaches to co-teaching, described below, and the co-teachers will determine the best approach depending upon the lesson objectives and needs of the students.

    One Teach, One Observe: In this model, one teacher takes the lead role in delivering instruction while the other teacher observes students' behavior, engagement, and understanding. The observing teacher can collect data, take notes, and provide feedback to enhance instruction.

    One Teach, One Assist: In this model, one teacher takes the lead role in delivering instruction while the other teacher provides support to individual students or small groups. The assisting teacher can provide additional explanations, reteach concepts, or offer differentiated instruction based on students' needs.

    Station Teaching: In this model, the classroom is divided into different stations or learning centers. Each teacher takes responsibility for a specific station and provides instruction or facilitates learning activities. Students rotate through the stations, receiving instruction from both teachers.

    Parallel Teaching: In this model, the class is divided into two smaller groups, and each teacher delivers the same content simultaneously to their respective group. This allows for more personalized instruction and increased student engagement.

    Alternative Teaching: In this model, one teacher works with the majority of the students, delivering the core instruction, while the other teacher works with a smaller group of students who require additional support or enrichment. The smaller group can receive targeted instruction or engage in extension activities.

    Team Teaching: In this model, both teachers share the responsibility of planning, delivering, and assessing instruction. They work together to provide a cohesive and integrated learning experience for all students. This model requires strong collaboration and communication between the co-teachers.

    Consultant Teacher Services:  Consultant teacher services are defined as direct and/or indirect services provided to a student with a disability within their general education classes (direct) or to their general education teachers (indirect).  Such services must be recommended by the Committee on Special Education (CSE) to meet the specific needs of such students and the student's individualized education program (IEP) shall indicate the regular education class in which the student will receive consultant teacher services.  Students cannot be removed from his or her class in order to receive consultant teacher services and consultant teacher cannot be the primary academic instructor for the student. Students recommended for consultant teacher services must receive a minimum of 120 minutes of consultant teacher services per week (indirect and/or direct), unless combined with resource room, in which case the minimum number of total minutes of resource room and consultant teacher services combined is 180 minutes.  

    Direct Consultant Teacher service means specially designed instruction provided by a special education teacher to an individual student with a disability or to a group of students with disabilities within their general education class to aid the students(s) to benefit from the general education class instruction.  The special education teacher adapts, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible student, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to support the student to successfully participate and progress in the general curriculum during regular instruction, so that he or she can meet the educational standards that apply to all students.  Consultant teacher services are provided simultaneously with general education content area instruction.

    Indirect Consultant Teacher services means consultation provided by a certified special education teacher to a general education teacher to assist the general education teacher in adjusting the learning environment and/or modifying his/her instructional methods to meet the individual needs of a student with a disability who attends general education class.

    Resource Room: A resource room program provides specialized supplementary instruction to a group of no more than 5 students for a portion of the school day, at a minimum of 180 minutes per week (or a combined minimum of 180 minutes per week of resource room and consultant teacher services for those students who are recommended for both).  Resource Room supplements and does not supplant classroom instruction; resource room students must also have access to instruction in all required general education content area learning standards in addition to their resource room supplemental instruction.  The resource room teacher provides specialized supplementary instruction for each student within the resource room according to his or her goals identified in their IEP.  While the teacher may use classroom related assignments as the vehicle t provide specialized supplementary instruction to address the unique needs of a student with a disability, a resource room program for a disability cannot be treated as study hall time to complete homework.

    Special Classes: Special Class means a class consisting of students with disabilities who have been grouped together because of similarity of individual needs for the purpose of receiving specially designed instruction.  Meaning, all students in the class have IEPs for similar needs and the class/program is structured differently from a general education class, to meet the needs of the students.

    Special Class Size: Special class size is defined as the maximum number of students who can receive instruction together in a special class and the number of teachers and paraprofessionals assigned to the special class.  If the student's IEP indicates a special class, the IEP must describe the special class size.  The following maximum class size ratios are allowed by regulation:

    15:1 Special Class (subject-based) - Cornwall Central Middle School and Cornwall Central High School continuum of special education programming includes 15:1 special classes in the core subjects of English, Math, Science, and Social Studies.  The curriculum is aligned to the general education grade-level curriculum for these subjects, but the delivery of instruction is specially designed to support the needs of students who have disabilities requiring slower pacing, more repetition, and different instructional methods in order to learn the grade-level content.  The class includes no more than 15 students with one special education teacher.  All students in the class have IEPs specifying the need for a 15:1 special class in that subject.  Students recommended for 15:1 special classes are working toward a NYS Regents Diploma and may or may not require special classes for other subject areas.  Students recommended for 15:1 classes are fully-integrated with their non-disabled peers during electives, lunch, and any core subjects in which they do not require a special class. 

    15:1+1 Special Class (elementary): Cornwall Central School District's in-district continuum of special education programming includes 15:1:1 special classes located at Cornwall Elementary School.  At the elementary level, all core instruction is taught by the classroom teacher; students do not switch classes/teachers for different subjects (i.e. math, reading) and instructional times are more fluid than the period/bell schedule at the secondary level.  Students in the class have been grouped together because of similarity of individual need for the purpose of receiving the specially designed instruction necessary to achieve their individual IEP goals.  The curriculum is aligned to the general education grade-level curriculum, but the delivery of instruction is specially designed to support the needs of students who have disabilities requiring slower pacing, more repetition, and different instructional methods in order to learn the grade-level content and their instructional levels.  The class includes no more than 15 students with one special education teacher and a classroom teaching assistant.  All students in the class have IEPs specifying the need for a 15:1:1 special class for instruction.  Students recommended for a 15:1:1 class take the NYS assessments, following the track for a NYS Regents Diploma.  Students recommended for a 15:1:1 class are integrated for school assemblies, field trips, recess, physical education, and enrichment or other activities beyond the primary instruction. 

    12:1+(3:1) Special Class: Cornwall Central School District's in-district continuum of special education program includes 12:1+(3:1) classes for students ages 5-21.  The primary and intermediate programs are located at Cornwall-on-Hudson Elementary School, there are secondary programs located at Cornwall Central Middle School and Cornwall Central High School.  12:1+(3:1) is the maximum class size for students with severe multiple disabilities, whose programs consist primarily of habilitation and treatment.  In addition to the special education teacher, the staff/student ratio is one staff person to three students and the additional staff may be teachers, paraprofessionals, and/or related service providers.  Students recommended for the 12:1+(3:1) classes over the age of 8 qualify for New York State Alternate Assessment (NYSAA) and receive individualized instruction related to fundamental and functional academic skills, assisted daily living skills, and pre-vocational and employment skills as they work toward exiting school their school career with a Skils and Achievement Commencement Credential (SACC).

    8:1:1 Special Class: Based upon NYS regulations, the maximum class size for special classes containing students whose management needs are determined to be intensive and require a significant degree of individualized attention and intervention, cannot exceed eight students with one or more supplementary school personnel assigned to each class during periods of instruction.  Cornwall Central School District does not operate special classes of this size and make-up.  When a Cornwall resident student has needs requiring this program, the Committee on Special Education (CSE) will secure placement in a special class with a maximum of 8 students operated within another school district, BOCES, or NYS approved special education day program and cover all associated costs for educating the student, including transportation.

    6:1:1 Special Class: Based upon NYS regulations, the maximum class size for special classes containing students whose management needs are determined to be highly intensive, and require a high degree of individualized attention and intervention, cannot exceed six students, with one or more supplementary school personnel assigned to each class during periods of instruction.  Cornwall Central School District does not operate special classes of this size and make-up.  When a Cornwall resident student has needs requiring this program, the Committee on Special Education (CSE) will secure placement in a special class with a maximum of 6 students operated within another school district, BOCES, or NYS approved special education day program and cover all associated costs for educating the student, including transportation.

    Related Services: Related services assist a student in benefiting from other special education services or assist the student in accessing the general curriculum.  Related services means developmental, corrective, and other supportive services required to assist a student with a disability.  Within the Cornwall Central School District, related services are provided to students within each of the District's three elementary schools, as well as the middle and high schools, as recommended on the student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP).  Cornwall employs speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, and licensed clinical social workers, and to provide speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological counseling services, and contracts with providers of other related services as needed, such as physical therapy.