Special Education Services
What is an IEP?
An Individualized Education Program (IEP) describes the educational program that has been designed to meet the student's unique needs. Teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and students work as a team to design and implement a student's IEP.
New York City Public Schools Related Services Page
What are related services?
Related services are those services that are needed for a student to access their special education services. Special Education teachers and related service providers work together to identify and design programs that meet the individual needs of our students.
Speech and Language Services
Every school has a speech-language pathologist who provides speech and language services according to the student's individualized education program. These services may be delivered in the general education classroom or in a smaller, resource room setting. Services range from individual, group, and integrated groups. Speech and language therapy is a related service focused on supporting the student's special education program and academic success.
Occupational Therapy Services
These services provide students with direct instruction in the areas of fine motor skills, sensory integration, activities of daily living, visual perceptual skills, vocational tasks, play skills and leisure skills, as related to fine motor needs that are part of their educational program. These services are provided to students according to their IEP.
Physical Therapy Services
These services provide students with direct instruction in the area of motor development, functional mobility and participation in every day routines and activities, as related to gross motor needs that are part of their educational program. These services are provided to students according to their IEP.
Counseling Services
Every school has a school psychologist and social worker who provide mental health support and services to students. This appears through mandated and as needed individual counseling, group counseling, lunch bunch, crisis intervention (including risk assessments), and IEP development.
Mental health staff conduct classroom observations and use data to support behavior plans and various research-based interventions. Additionally, school psychologists are responsible for managing and conducting psycho-educational evaluations to classified students and attend meetings for both special education and general education students.
The school psychologist and social worker collaborate frequently with counselors, teachers, administrators, and MTSS teams to ensure the social and behavioral needs of all students are being met. They provide psychoeducation and support to parents/caregivers via ongoing communication, meetings and workshops. Mental health staff collaborate with community providers in order to maintain consistency in delivering appropriate services and supports to each student.
Hearing Services
New York City Public Schools provide students with hearing impairment support related to their primary mode of communication. Direct instruction or consultation can be provided by the teacher of the hearing impaired related to listening, speech, and spoken language. These services can be provided to students according to their IEP or 504 plan.
Vision Services
New York City Public Schools provide students with vision impairment support. Direct instruction or consultation can be provided by the teacher of the visually impaired. These services can be provided to students according to their IEP or 504 plan.
Assistive Technology Services
Assistive Technology staff members act as resources to teams to make AT selections, acquisitions, and provide AT training in the use of assistive technology devices. AT is considered at every annual review. Based on a student’s Individualized Education Program, AT may be added to the IEP to support the student's special education program and academic success.
Extended School Year (ESY)
Extended school year (ESY) are services provided beyond the length of the regular school year as described in the IEP and is provided at no cost to the parents. Eligibility for ESY must be determined each year for individual students who may be eligible to receive these services.
504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”) prohibits discrimination against individuals with a disability in any program receiving Federal financial assistance. To be protected under Section 504, an individual must be determined to: (1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; (2) have a record of such an impairment; or (3) be regarded as having such an impairment.
In order to fulfill its obligation under Section 504, the New York City Public Schools recognize a responsibility to avoid discrimination in policies and practices regarding its personnel, students, parents and members of the public who participate in school sponsored programs. In this regard, the New York City Public Schools prohibits discrimination against any person with a disability in any of the programs operated by the school system.
If you have questions, please contact P.S. 83's 504 Coordinator, Mrs. Suzanne Tollinchi-Bent. She can be reached via phone at 212-860-5847 Ext. 2321 or via email at STollinchiBent@schools.nyc.gov
P.S. 83's Special Education Coordinator & 504 Coordinator
Should you have any questions please contact Mrs. Suzanne Tollinchi-Bent (Ms. Bent) at 212-860-5847 Extension 2321 or email her at STollinchiBent@schools.nyc.gov.
