Preschool special education services are available for children ages 3 to 5 with disabilities or delays in development that affect learning. These services are provided free of charge to eligible children. The Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) is responsible for coordinating the special education process for children 3 to 5 years of age. There are 11 CPSEs in different areas of the city that work with families in the district where the family lives.
Preschool Special Education Landing Page
The preschool special education landing page provides access to materials and resources for preschool providers to support their work with children and families. Topics include, but are not limited to, focusing on families, instructional planning and support and social and emotional learning and behavior supports. The page also contains links to all upcoming professional learning opportunities and previously recorded webinars.
Creating Inclusive Classrooms
New York City Public Schools is committed to creating inclusive preschool environments that enable all children to enter Kindergarten with a solid foundation for future success. Inclusion is not only a belief that all children can learn but have the ability to learn together. Inclusive preschool environments offer the opportunity for special education students to learn and socialize in their least restrictive environment (LRE), which means students have the opportunity to learn alongside their typically developing peers to the greatest extent possible.
Research shows that inclusive settings promote academic growth, independence, and social-emotional gains for both children with and without disabilities. The resources below will provide additional information and recommendations for practice related to inclusion and children with disabilities.
- The Division of Early Childhood (DEC) and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Joint Position Statement and definition of inclusion.
- The United States Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) Joint Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs.
- The United States ED and HHS Joint Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings.
- Inclusion Matters! A Guide to Creating High-Quality Inclusive Early Childhood Programs that Promote Active Engagement, Participation, and a Sense of Belonging for Young Children with Disabilities The intent of this document is to provide guidance and strategies to early childhood educators that promote belonging and inclusion for all children. Schools are encouraged to use this resource to guide discussions around existing practices and supports and to drive planning and school improvement.
- Inclusion Matters Newsletter This newsletter is dedicated to exploring what inclusion is, how it benefits all learners, and how to implement an inclusive program in your school.
- Collaborating with Providers Creating an Inclusive Preschool Classroom: Best Practices for Collaboration with Preschool Special Education Providers
Focusing on Family Support
Families play a key role in their child’s development and learning. We believe that families are central to young children’s lives, assume critical roles in their child’s development, and are their child’s first and forever teachers. Collaboration among key stakeholders, including families, is a cornerstone for implementing high-quality early childhood inclusion. Resources and program policies are needed to promote multiple opportunities for communication and collaboration among families.
The resources below can help you support and collaborate with your families.
Special Education Process and Programs
- Family Engagement and Special Education; Creating an Inclusive Preschool Classroom: Best Practices for Family Engagement and Special Education
- Special Education; Re-Imagining Special Education for New York City Students
- Moving to Preschool: Guides and information around the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) process, including transitioning from Early Intervention.
- Transitioning to Kindergarten; An important goal of preschool special education is to prepare a child to succeed in kindergarten. Children enter kindergarten in September of the year when they turn five years old. The kindergarten transition process begins the school year before kindergarten while a child is in preschool.
- Information for Families about SCIS: Information for Families About Preschool Special Class in an Integrated Setting (SCIS) Classes in NYCPS District Schools and Pre-K Centers
Family Guides and Resources
- Language Access: Office of Language Access, Sign-Language Interpreting services and letters, forms, and guides to send home in all NYCPS languages.
- Special Education Family Guides: Guides and information on Special Education programs and services in all NYCPS languages.
- Special Education Family Resources: Upcoming events, workshops, and resources for families of children with IEPs
- Parent Rights: Due Process rights to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
- School-to-Home Resources: Resources designed to support families in working with their children at home.
Professional Learning
- Beyond Access Series; Youtube Channel: The series supports families of students with disabilities by providing sessions on topics around special education.
- Beyond Access Series: Upcoming Sessions
Instructional Resources
New York City Public Schools is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities have the opportunities to benefit from high-quality instruction, to reach the same standards as all students, and to leave school prepared to successfully transition to post-school learning, living and employment.
The resources below will assist you in providing high quality instruction and learning experiences for all children.
- Best Practices for Lesson Planning for Children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
- Using IEP Goals in the Pre-K Classroom
- Accommodations for Young Learners
- Sample Schedule for Preschool Special Education Classes
- Multidisciplinary Team Meeting Forms
- Instructional Guidance
- Instructional Environment and Practice Quality Indicator Review for Special Education Instructional Practices This resource guide is intended to support schools in assessing the quality of existing instructional practices to determine areas of strength and need and to create a plan of support to improve practices and outcomes for students with disabilities.
Behavior Resources and Supports
The resources below will support you with the systematic implementation of evidence-based practices to develop young children’s social and emotional competencies and positive behavior.
- Preschool Guidance for Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) The intent of this guidance is to provide schools with general information regarding (a) the Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) process, including when a FBA should be conducted and how to request an FBA for a preschool child and (b) the development/implementation of a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP). This is not intended to serve as an alternative to the in-depth training required to conduct an FBA and develop a quality BIP.
- BIP Progress Monitoring Data Collection Toolkit: This packet includes a daily chart for staff to keep track of the targeted problem behavior (frequency, intensity and duration) and the replacement behavior (frequency). It includes a chart for weekly daily summaries and blank graphs to look at trends. Graphing procedures provide step-by-step instructions for plotting FBA baseline and progress monitoring data. The baseline data must be used as a standard to establish performance criteria and against which to evaluate intervention effectiveness. This packet provides the data collection tools to inform the BIP.
- The Preschool Behavior Resource Guide: A Framework of Tiered Supports offers a framework to support schools with the systematic implementation of evidence-based practices to develop young children’s social and emotional competencies and positive behavior. It focuses on proactive measures to effect positive outcomes for all children and to prevent the development and/or occurrence of challenging behavior.
- Behavioral Supports and Interventions Quality Indicators Classroom-Based Behavioral Supports and Interventions serves to guide schools in their efforts to provide behavioral supports and interventions to preschool children to maximize positive behavioral outcomes. It provides quality indicators for effective practices that advance children’s positive behavior and prevent and reduce challenging behavior.
Guidance Documents
Guidance Documents for NYC Public Schools Programs
- Guidance for Operating Preschool Special Classes in New York City Public Schools (NYPCS) District 1-32 Schools and Pre-K Centers
- Guidance for Operating Preschool Special Classes in an Integrated Setting (SCIS) in New York City Public Schools (NYPCS) District 1-32 Schools and Pre-K Centers
Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) Services
- Guidance on Preschool Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) Services
- Arranging SEIT and Related Service
- NYSED Special Education Field Advisory – October 2015
- SEIT Service form
Progress Monitoring Resources
- Guidance for Completing Preschool Progress Reports
- Progress Report Template
- Progress Reports FAQ (for 4410 providers)
Operations and Policy
Request for Determination of Student Status / Notification of Student Absence Without Legal Excuse (RDNA)
IEP Distribution
Regional Need
- Regional Need for Preschool Special Education: This page presents the regional need for preschool special education programs and multidisciplinary evaluation programs. It is intended for providers who are interested in offering or expanding such programs.
- NYSED Preschool Applications: This webpage includes the Initial Application for Approval to Operate a Preschool Special Education and/or Multidisciplinary Evaluation Program and the Modification Application for Approval to Expand and/or Modify a Preschool Special Education and/or Multidisciplinary Evaluation Program
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Section 611 and Section 619 Vendor Funding (4410 Non-Public Agencies only)
- Instructions for Application Budget and Narrative (ASEP 10 Form)
- Notice of Allocation Memorandum
- FY25 ASEP 10F Form - Final Expenditure Report
NYSED Preschool Variance Procedures
- NYSED Preschool Variance Procedures (4410 Non-Public Agencies only)
- Preschool Variance Guidance (Updated July 2023)
- SEDMON Preschool Variance Webinar – July 2023