More DOE Parent Resources
DOE resources to support your child’s educational journey
DOE Continuum of Special Education Services
The Continuum of Services describes the programs and services available for students with disabilities in the New York City Public Schools. It sets out the DOE’s vision for a “single, seamless and unified service delivery system” together with an expectation that services will be provided in various combinations to address individual student needs more closely.
Special Education Standard Operating Procedures Manual (SOPM)
The DOE’s new SOPM provides up-to-date and detailed information about the DOE’s policies and procedures that relate to special education. It is an online document with a detailed index that takes you directly to the topic of interest. All schools are required to adhere to the policies and procedures in this document.
Promotion for Students with Individualized Education Programs, 2018
This guide provides information for families about how promotion decisions are made for students with disabilities who participate in standard assessments at all grade levels. It explains the difference between standard promotion criteria, which is the expectation for most students with disabilities, and modified promotion criteria.
Academic Policy Guides
Consider these guides “one-stop shopping” for school policies and procedures. The guides are available for elementary, middle and high schools, and provide information on academic requirements, assessments, policies for students with disabilities and English Language Learners, programming, grading, attendance, course offerings and course credit, graduation requirements, diplomas and commencement credentials.
DOE family guides
Special Education Resource for Newly Arrived Families
This guide outlines the steps for obtaining disability supports in the NYC Public Schools. It includes QR codes for helpful resources.
Family Guide to Special Education Services for School-Age Children
This Guide is designed to help families work with school staff to develop the most appropriate program for their child. For school staff, this guide provides an excellent and highly readable overview of the special education process.
Early Intervention to Preschool Transition
This guide explains the process, the timeline, and the services available for eligible students. The transition from early intervention to preschool special education can be very confusing for families. While the Department of Health provides services for children with developmental delays and disabilities aged zero to three, the NYC Department of Education is responsible for preschool special education. Services for children receiving early intervention do not continue automatically after they age out of the program. Rather, families of children between three and five years old must refer their children to the Committee on Preschool Special Education for evaluation. They can also apply for early childhood programs such as 3-K For All and EarlyLearn NYC.
Family Guide to Preschool Special Education
In addition to providing information about what to look for if you suspect your child may have a disability, this guide explains how the NYC Public Schools makes decisions about eligibility for services for students aged 3-5 and what services are available for children who are found eligible.
Information on the DOE parent website
Reimagining Special Education for NYC Students
This page provides access to a wide range of information of particular interest and importance to parents.
Moving to Preschool
This comprehensive guide provides detailed information about the preschool process from referral to committee on preschool special education (CPSE) meetings as well as a description of the supports and services that are available for preschool children with disabilities.
Moving to Kindergarten | Moving to Middle School | Moving to High School
Transitions are both exciting and challenging. Each marks the start of a new chapter in the life of a young person with a disability and their family. Families, students and school staff often have questions about what to expect, and many of them will be answered here. Details can be found in the DOE's Academic Policy Guides.
Language support
Get help in your language
This information sheet explains how families can obtain interpretation services for their child's IEP team meeting and translation services for their child's IEP and other special education notices and documents. Ask & Share: A Tool for Families and Schools to Create a Student-Centered IEP
Policy and Reference Guide for Multilingual Learners/English Language Learners Like special education, the process for getting appropriate support for Multilingual/English Language Learners can be daunting. This publication is a comprehensive resource for regulations and policies related to this topic.
NYC Public Schools Speak Your Language This site provides information for families on their right to language assistance and how to request language assistance services, including translation and interpretation, at their child’s school.
Family engagement resources for multilingual learners
These guides, which are available in multiple languages, provide information on the educational rights of multilingual and immigrant students and families, how to advocate for your child and become involved in your child’s school, and what programs and services are available to support your child in learning English.