Preschool Special Education Information

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Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE)

The Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) is responsible for identifying and arranging for the delivery of special education services for preschool children with disabilities from ages three to five. The CPSE is responsible for guiding parents in a process which includes evaluation and, if eligible, the recommendation for placement in approved programs and services for each preschool student with a disability.

The educational programs and services for preschool children with disabilities are the responsibility of the school district in which the student resides in accordance with New York State Education law, Article 89

How do I submit a referral to CPSE?

A referral may be made by the student’s parent/legal guardian, a physician, or a judicial officer. If a child is receiving Early Intervention services (ages 0-2), an early intervention official will notify the school district with parent consent. A transition conference may be convened upon parental consent by the Early Intervention official, service coordinator, and CPSE chairperson.

A preschool student suspected of having a disability can be referred to the CPSE via a written request by email to studentregistration@canandaiguaschools.org

Once the referral is received by CPSE, the parent/legal guardian must prove residency and register with the school district. To register, click the registration form at the top of this page.

Registration Process

Step 1 – Beginning Registration: complete the online initial registration form. Once submitted, you will receive a confirmation email from Student Registration.

Step 2 – Shortly, you will receive another email from student registration indicating the required documents needed to complete registration. See 'Registration Requirements' on this page regarding what documents to upload.

Step 3 – Upload the documents indicated in the Continuing Registration email.

Step 4 – Once we have reviewed and approved the submitted documents, our registrar will send you a confirmation email.

Step 5 – Within a few days of completing the registration process you will receive a call from the Special Programs office to review the CPSE eligibility process and will answer any questions. A packet of information will also be mailed to you which will include:

A Parent’s Guide to Special Education
Procedural Safeguards Notice
Consent for Initial Evaluation
List of Agencies Approved to Conduct Evaluations

Evaluation & Eligibility Information

Evaluations & CPSE

All the evaluations are free to the parent. The person referring the child will be asked to select three approved evaluators and sign the consent form. The reason for choosing three agencies is not for the parent's preference but to be able to meet the state's 60 days deadline. There is a 60-day timeline once consent for evaluations is received by the preschool special education office.

All children are evaluated in the following areas: Psychological, Observation and Social History. Additional evaluations are completed depending on areas of concern such as speech/language skills and motor skills. Additionally, a copy of the child's latest physical will also be requested.

We will contact the agencies you selected and determine which one can do the evaluations in a timely manner. Once the agency is determined, then they will contact you to set up a time to do the evaluations. Most evaluations are conducted at the site of the agency, but some are available to come to the home/community.

Once the evaluations take place and the reports are written, the Initial Eligibility CPSE meeting will be scheduled. The evaluating agency will provide you with the written report.

The CPSE Initial Eligibility Meeting will include the following members:

CPSE Chairperson (district representative)
County Representative
General Education Teacher
Representative from Evaluation Agency
Parent/Legal Guardian(s)
Parent Member (if requested by the parent)
Service Coordinator (if student is receiving Early Intervention services)
Related Service Providers (if student is receiving Early Intervention services)

APPROVED AGENCIES FOR EVALUATIONS

Evaluations can take place at the evaluator’s site. Portions of an evaluation can be conducted in the family’s home or child’s primary day location (preschool or babysitter’s). These details can be discussed while working out the best possible plan for a child’s evaluation by the chosen evaluator.

On the consent for CPSE Evaluation form that you sign, please write the name of the agency that you would like to evaluate your child.

List of NYS approved Preschool Evaluators that are contracted with Ontario County:

Clinical Associates of the Finger Lakes: 590 Fishers Station Drive, Suite 130 Victor, NY 14564
FLUCP Happiness House: 5415 County Road 30 Canandaigua, NY 14424 OR 731 Pre-Emption Road Geneva, NY 14456
Keuka Lakes School: 235 North Ave: Penn Yan, NY 14527
Kid Start/ARC Glow: 5871 Groveland Station Road, Mt Morris, NY 14510
Roosevelt Children's Center: 150 VanBuren Street, Newark, NY 14513

Eligibility

Preschool students may be identified as having a disability if they exhibit a significant delay in one or more functional areas related to cognitive, language and communicative, adaptive, social emotional or motor development which adversely affects the student’s ability to learn. The CPSE considers all evaluations and compares the child's performance to accepted milestones for child development. The criteria for eligibility are:

12 month delay in one or more functional area(s);or
33% delay in one functional area, or a 25% delay in each of two functional areas; or
If appropriate standardized instruments are individually administered in the evaluation process, a score of 2.0 standard deviations below the mean in one functional area, or score of 1.5 standard deviations below the mean in each of two functional areas; or
Meet the criteria for a disability as described in the terms for school aged students

If you have any questions, you can contact the Office of Special Programs at any time.

Related Services

Related Services are recommended by the CPSE to meet the individual needs of a student with a disability as set forth in the Individualized Education Program (IEP). Related Services may be provided in conjunction with other preschool special education services.

Related Services include, but are not limited to:

Speech Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Counseling
Vision Services
Teacher of the deaf services
Assistive technology

Registration Requirements

Proof of Residency

PROOF OF RESIDENCY:

Please submit evidence establishing you and your child’s physical presence in the school district. Such evidence may include:

A copy of a residential lease or proof of ownership of a house or condominium, such as a deed or mortgage statement;
A statement by a third-party landlord, owner or tenant from whom the parent(s) or person(s) in parental relation leases or with whom they share property within the District, which may be either sworn or unsworn;
Such other statement by a third party establishing the parent(s)’ or person(s) in parental relation’s physical presence in the district; and/or
Other forms of documentation, which may include, but will not be limited to:

pay stub;
income tax form;
utility or other bills;
membership documents (e.g., library cards) based upon residency;
voter registration document(s);
official driver’s license, learner’s permit or non-driver identification;
State or other government issued identification;
documents issued by federal, state or local agencies (e.g., local social service agency, federal Office of Refugee Resettlement); or
evidence of custody of the child, including but not limited to judicial custody orders or guardianship papers.

** Note on Residency - Only students who are are valid inhabitants in the Canandaigua City School District boundaries may attend the district schools unless families in temporary residences fall within the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act.

Parent/Guardian Photo ID

Proof of Age

PROOF OF AGE:

The District will require documentation and/or information establishing your child’s age. Please supply a certified transcript of a birth certificate or record of baptism (including a certified transcript of a foreign birth certificate or record of baptism) giving the date of birth. Where such documentation is not available, a passport (including a foreign passport) may be used.

Where birth certificate or passport is not available, the District may consider certain other evidence, which has been in existence two years or more. Other evidence may include, but will not be limited to the following:

official driver’s license;
state or other government issued identification;
school photo identification with date of birth;
consulate identification card;
hospital or health records;
military dependent identification card;
documents issued by federal, state or local agencies (e.g., local social service agency, federal Office of Refugee Resettlement);
court orders or other court-issued documents;
Native American tribal document; or
records from non-profit international aid agencies and voluntary agencies

CUSTODY PAPERWORK (IF APPLICABLE)

Custody paperwork is required if the student has more than one legal guardian, who resides at a different address than the student.

For example: If a parent is listed on the birth certificate, but does not currently live with the child, you will need to provide some sort of documentation. If court generated guardianship papers are not available, the district will provide affidavits that you can use to specify your custodial arrangement.

To provide evidence of custody of the child, including but not limited to judicial custody orders or guardianship papers.

The District may also require the parent(s) and/or person(s) in parental relation to the child to provide an affidavit either:

indicating that they are the parent(s) with whom the child lawfully resides; or
indicating that they are the person(s) in parental relation to the child, over whom they have total and permanent custody and control, and describing how they obtained total and permanent custody and control, whether through guardianship or otherwise.