Integrated co-teaching (ICT) classes are composed of students with and without disabilities learning together. ICT classes are taught by two teachers: one general education or content-area teacher and one special education teacher. The co-teachers collaborate to adapt and modify instruction so all students can access the grade-level curriculum.

Students in ICT classes are intentionally grouped together based on similarity of need to receive specially designed instruction. The focus in ICT classes is on supporting the whole group of students with disabilities recommended for the service.

Specific protocols have been established to ensure this model is successful for all participants. Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about ICT classes.

What is the class size and composition of an integrated co-teaching class?

The number of students with disabilities in an ICT class may not exceed 40 percent of the total class register with a maximum of 12 students with disabilities. All students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) count when determining the maximum number of students with disabilities in an ICT class. ICT classes must also adhere to general education class-size limits.

ICT classes may not open at the beginning of the school year while in violation of these class-size requirements. If an ICT class is in violation of these limits, the teachers should first ask if there are any students in the class with IEPs who do not require ICT. These students can and should be moved into the appropriate general education classes. If this is not possible, and if an action plan to resolve the issue moving forward is not concretely established, the UFT member should file a special education compliance complaint on behalf of the adversely affected students.

Later in the school year, under limited circumstances, schools may apply for variances to exceed these limits if new students with ICT recommendations are assigned to the school or students are newly recommended for the service.

The school’s Special Education Committee should also raise any class size issues with the principal. Established in the 2023 contract, these school-based committees will meet at least once in the fall and again in the spring to discuss special education compliance issues, including teacher and paraprofessional programming, to correct these issues at the school level whenever possible.

How are ICT classes staffed?

Each ICT class must, at a minimum, have a special education teacher and a general education teacher. In New York City, the special education teacher must be certified and appointed in special education and the general education teacher must be certified and appointed under an appropriate general education or content-area license.

The two teachers — one general education and one special education — must be present for all periods of ICT instruction required by students’ IEPs. If an ICT class does not have an appropriately certified special education teacher, the school-based Special Education Committee should raise the issue with the principal.

What is the main responsibility of the special education teacher in an ICT class?

The special education teacher is primarily responsible for delivering specially designed instruction to the group of students with disabilities to address their needs as identified in their IEPs so they can access the grade-level curriculum.

What is the primary responsibility of the general education teacher in an ICT class?

The general education or content-area teacher has primary responsibility for delivery of content-area instruction in an ICT class.

Do the general education and special education teachers in an ICT class have one lesson plan or are they each responsible for developing a lesson plan?

Since the general education teacher and the special education teacher have different responsibilities, each must have a separate lesson plan.

What is the school’s obligation to provide regular common-planning time to ICT teachers?

Co-teachers must collaboratively plan, prepare and facilitate lessons, activities and projects, so they must be given regular common-planning time during the workday.

According to the 2023 contract, ​​schools with professional activity periods will prioritize assigning special education teachers to common-planning time as their activity. Teachers can also choose to spend Other Professional Work time or prep periods on common planning.

Any lack of common-planning time should be raised at a meeting of the school’s Special Education Committee with the principal.

Can co-teachers in an ICT class cover for each other during preparation periods?

No. Two teachers — one general education and one special education — must be present for all periods of ICT instruction required by students’ IEPs. Co-teachers may not cover for each other during preparation periods.

Can co-teachers in an ICT class “tag team” each other to participate in their students’ IEP team meetings?

No. When a general education teacher is a required member of the IEP team for the student, one of the student’s general education teachers must be present for the entirety of the IEP meeting. Similarly, when a special education teacher is a required member of an IEP team, one of the student’s special education teachers must be present for the entirety of the IEP meeting. General education or special education teachers may only be excused through written parental consent at least five days prior to the IEP meeting.

According to the 2023 contract, student assessment activities, which include IEP meetings, are now being prioritized as professional activity assignments for special education teachers.

If your school has a special education intervention teacher on staff, they may participate as the special education teacher in IEP meetings of students they support. They may also provide coverage for other special education teachers to attend meetings for requested evaluations and three-year reevaluations, but not annual reviews.

Can a general education teacher cover for an absent special education teacher in an ICT class?

Yes, a general education teacher can provide coverage if adequate efforts have been made to locate an appropriately certified special education teacher and no one is available. However, co-teachers in the same ICT class cannot cover for each other during prep periods.

Can co-teachers in ICT classes be assigned other duties during times that students are mandated to receive instructional services?

Co-teachers may not be assigned to other duties (such as exam scoring or coverage or test proctoring for other classes) that would prevent them from providing IEP-mandated services to their ICT class.

If a co-teacher is routinely assigned to other duties, this issue should first be raised at a meeting of the school’s Special Education Committee with the principal. If unresolved at the school level, the issue can be escalated to the UFT district representative for that school or a UFT member can file a special education compliance complaint on behalf of the adversely affected students.