State and Federal Requirements and Additional Questions and Answers Related to Meeting Notice Forms
A meeting notice is information in writing given to a parent(s) prior to a meeting of the Committee on Special Education (CSE), Subcommittee on Special Education or Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE).
The parent(s) should be notified of a Committee meeting early enough so that he/she will have an opportunity to attend/participate in the meeting.
State regulations require the parent(s) to receive the notice at least five days before the meeting. However, when the parent(s) and school district agree to a meeting that will occur within five days, or when the purpose of the meeting is to meet the timelines related to suspension or removal of a student for disciplinary reasons (e.g., expedited evaluation or determination of services during suspension), the meeting notice may be provided to the parent(s) less than five days prior to the meeting.
The parent(s) may elect to receive the notice of meetings by an electronic mail (e-mail) communication if the school district makes such option available.
The meeting notice must be given to the parent(s) of the student, and for preschool students, must also be given to each CPSE member, including the appointee of the municipality. The law specifically requires that the meeting notice for a preschool child be provided in writing by first class mail, postage prepaid, facsimile or personal service.
The following information must be included in meeting notice.
The meeting notice must include the date, time and location of the meeting. The meeting should be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time and place and in a location that is physically accessible to the parent(s).
In addition, for preschool students, to the extent possible, any meeting of the CPSE must be held at a site and time mutually convenient to the members of the CPSE and the parent(s) of the preschool student. This may include, but is not limited to, the worksite of the evaluator, the municipal representative on the CPSE or the chairperson of the CPSE.
The meeting notice must include the purpose of the meeting.
The purpose should be stated with enough specificity that the parent(s) is prepared for what might be discussed at the meeting. Examples of the purpose(s) of a meeting:
- review the results of the initial evaluation or reevaluation.
- determine a student’s eligibility or continuing eligibility for special education services.
- develop an initial individualized education program (IEP).
review and, if appropriate, revise the IEP.
- determine the student’s need for extended school year services.
- discuss a student’s post-secondary goals and transition services.
- discuss declassification support services.
- determine services to be provided during a suspension for disciplinary reasons.
If the meeting will be conducted by a Subcommittee on Special Education, the meeting notice must include a statement that upon receipt of a written request from the parent(s), the Subcommittee will refer to the CSE any matter on which the parent disagrees with the Subcommittee’s recommendation. (Note: New York State law authorizes use of a Subcommittee on Special Education for school-age students, but not for preschool students.)
The meeting notice must identify, by name and title, who will attend the meeting.
If the purpose of the meeting is to consider post-secondary goals and transition services, the notice must indicate that the school district will invite the student. The meeting notice must also identify the other agency(ies) responsible to provide or pay for transition services that, with parental consent or consent of the student who is age 18 or older, will be invited to send a representative to the meeting.
The meeting notice must also include a statement that the parent(s) has the right to be accompanied by individuals with knowledge or special expertise about his or her child, as determined by the parent(s). The district may ask the parent(s) to identify, by name and title, other individuals invited by the parent(s) who will attend the meeting.
For CSE:
The meeting notice must include a statement that the parent(s) has the right to decline, in writing, the participation of the additional parent member at the meeting.
The notice must also include a statement that the parent(s) has the right to request that the CSE include the school physician member. The parent(s) must make this request to the school district in writing at least 72 hours (three days) before the meeting.
For CPSE:
The meeting notice must include a statement that the parent(s) has the right to decline, in writing, the participation of the additional parent member at the meeting.
If the child is transitioning from an early intervention (EI) program, the notice must also include a statement that the parent(s) has the right to request an invitation to an initial CPSE meeting be sent to the EI service coordinator or other representatives of the EI system to assist with the smooth transition of services.