The New York State Education Department (NYSED) oversees education in New York. The Department is governed by the Board of Regents, made up 17 members who are elected by the State Legislature. The Regents appoint the Commissioner of Education who is the chief administrative officer of the Department. The current commissioner for NYSED is Dr. MaryEllen Elia. The Office of Special Education (OSE) falls within the State Education Department’s Office of P-12 Education. Click here to see the NYSED Organizational Flow Chart [URL].

Sign up for the NYSED listserv [URL]: Register to receive information on services for students with disabilities directly from the New York State Education Department via their electronic Listservs.

NYSED Special Education Office [URL]: Website of the Special Education Office of the NYS Special Education Department.

News [URL]: Learn the latest news about what’s happening in special education in New York State.

Engage NY [URL]: The revised New York State Next Generation Learning Standards aim to reimagine the educational framework for English language arts and mathematics, with the goal of better supporting educators in their instructional practice and to provide additional guidance on achieving a vision of 21st century literacy. Additional introductory information about the new standards is available here.

Regulations of the Commissioner of Education – Parts 200 and 201 [URL]: Part 200 and 201 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education are the NYS regulations to conform to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Part 200 regulations are the special education law for New York State. A topical index link is available to assist in finding regulations related to specific issues or topics.

The Regulations of the Commissioner of Education Part 100 [URL]: This Part 100 Regulations page provides access to sections 100.1 – 100.16 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, which specify requirements for elementary, middle and secondary school programs in New York State including Response to Intervention programs, academic intervention services, diploma requirements, and other areas relevant to the education of students with disabilities within general education.

Special Education Publications [URL]: Publications and policy memoranda issued by the New York State Education department regarding issues related to implementation of special education in the state. Publications are indexed according to topic area or date of publication. This is a good area to search when looking for more information or guidance on a specific topic or area of concern.

Graduation Requirements for Students with Disabilities [URL]: This page provides information on both high school diploma and non-diploma exiting credential options available to New York State students with disabilities. Information is provided on the course work, credit and assessment requirements students must successfully complete to earn a Regents or local high school diploma, including the various safety net options available to assist students with disabilities to earn a local diploma.

Technical Assistance Centers/ Resources funded by NYSED [URL]: Provides links to technical assistance resources and guidance materials are available to school districts, parents and others interested in the education of students with disabilities.

Committee on Preschool Special Education Services [URL]: A Guide to Preschool Special Education for Children Transitioning from Early Intervention (age 3-5).

Eligibility for Preschool Special Education [PDF]: The Regulations of the Commissioner of the New York State Education Department explain what is required for a preschool student to be found eligible for special education programs and/or services.

New York State Education Department Office of Special Education: www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed
The Special Education Office provides assistance to parents, advocacy groups, and schools related to services and programs for students with disabilities. This site contains many resources, documents, and other comprehensive information. Read through the publications and policy memos issued by the special education office at NYSED which can be found under the ‘Publications’ tab in the center along the top of the website page. Memos can be searched by date, or alphabetically by topic. If you have a question about anything relating to special education, see if there is a memo related to the topic in question. The “News” tab on the top-left is another good way to stay current on special education policy issues in NYS.

New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD): www.opwdd.ny.gov
OPWDD is responsible for coordinating services for people with developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and other neurological impairments. It provides services directly and through a network nonprofit service providing agencies. This website provides information and resources for individuals, families, professionals, employees, and service providers about OPWDD, services and supports available, related regulations and guidance, community connections, contact information, and much more.

Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR): www.acces.nysed.gov/vr
ACCES-VR offers access to a full range of employment and independent living services that may be needed by persons with disabilities through their lives. Through its administration of vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs, VR coordinates policy and services relating to transition services for students with disabilities from school to adult services; vocational rehabilitation services for working age individuals with disabilities; independent living services for people with disabilities of all ages; and business services for hiring a qualified diverse workforce. This website provides information on application procedures, business services, district office contact information, publications, and more.

New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH): www.omh.ny.gov
OMH operates psychiatric centers across the State, and also regulates, certifies and oversees more than 4,500 programs, which are operated by local governments and nonprofit agencies. These programs include various inpatient and outpatient programs, emergency, community support, residential and family care programs. This website provides information and resources to families, professionals and providers about the mental health system, programs available, contact information for area offices, up to date news, and much more.

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