Lackawanna Announces the Conclusion of the Focused Review

The New York State Education Department's Office of Special Education completed the Special Education Quality Assurance (SEQA) Programs and Services Focused Review in Lackawanna City School District initiated during the 2010-2011 school year.  This review examined the district's compliance with selected federal and state laws and regulations governing the education of students with disabilities.

The review was conducted by the SEQA Western New York Regional Office as well as school district staff.  The review process involved a review of school records of selected students with disabilities, classroom visitations and interviews.  Meetings of the Committee on Special Education were also observed.

The Lackawanna City School District was found to have a number of practices in place that have a positive impact on increasing graduation rates for students with disabilities (SWD), and several new initiatives will begin during the 2011-12 school year that should increase those rates even further. The classroom visitations revealed that SWD had access to the general education curriculum across the continuum of special education services. The students were grouped by similarity of need and behavior issues were addressed in a positive manner. With the exception of the provisions of related services to one SWD, all other students from the sample did have their special education services provided in accordance with their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The results of the Focused Review also indicated the District’s IEPs were well developed and aligned to student needs with annual goals and special education programs and services. In terms of compliance, concerns existed in the following areas:

• Testing accommodations on IEPs were not always developed in accordance with New York State policy.
• Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) did not include the required regulatory components.
• IEPs did not consistently provide an explanation of the extent to which the student will not participate with nondisabled students in the regular education class.
• Related services were not provided for one student.

 A copy of the report may be obtained from the Superintendent's office, located at 245 South Shore Blvd., Lackawanna, New York 14218.