Topical List of DOE Guidance

See this list of key DOE special education guidance for students with disabilities organized by topic, collected from recent Principals’ Digest posts: 

Adapted and physical education

• PE Guidance (9/17/24 P-Digest) 

• Adapted PE Guidance (9/22/25 P-Digest) 

After-school programs

• Guide to School and Community-Based Organization (CBO) After-School Program Partnerships (9/2/25 P-Digest)

Alternate assessments

• Parent Notification of Participation in NYSAA

Autism

• Autism Supports Implementation Tool (11/5/24 P-Digest)

Certification

• SY 2025-26 Guidelines for Approving Incidental Teaching Assignments for Special Education Generalists (9/2/25 P-Digest)
• Incidental Teaching for Special Education Generalists (2025-26 guidance)

Compliance

• How to Use the Program Services Report (YouTube Video) (10/8/24 P-Digest) 

• Introduction to Checklist for Organizing Resources (CORe) Process (2/29/24 P-Digest) 

• Checklist for Organizing Resources (CORe) (2/29/24 P-Digest)

•  Start of School Year Special Education Checklist for Principals (9/2/25 P-Digest)

Confidentiality

• Protecting Personally Identifiable Information of Students (5/20/25 P-Digest) 

Coverage

• Mandated Use of SubCentral System (7/1/25 P-Digest) 

Crisis response

• Guidance for Schools on Accessing 988 and Children’s Mobile Crisis Teams (7/30/24 P-Digest) 

Eligibility

• Change in Age Eligibility Standards for Students with IEPs  

• Continued for 2025-26 School Year (6/17/25 P-Digest) 

• Continued Extension of Age Eligibility Standards for Students with IEPs (6/3/25 P-Digest) 

• Recommendations for Facilitating Conversations About Special Education with Families of New and Incoming Students 2025-26 (5/7/25 P-Digest) 

Encounter attendance

• Completing an Encounter Attendance Service Record 

English Language Learners with Disabilities 

• Guidance for Bilingual Special Education and Language of Instruction Recommendations

• Best Practices for When to Provide Translation of Critical Written Communications with Parents (9/22/25 Digest) 
• Best Practices for When to Provide Translation of Critical Oral Communications with Parents (9/22/25 Digest)
• Supporting Latino Multilingual and Immigrant Students and Families Resource Guide(Feb. 2026)

Grading

• Grading Policy Toolkit (9/17/24 P-Digest)

Graduation

• Superintendent’s Determination of Graduation with a Local Diploma (1/14/25,  5/20/25 & 1/13/26 P-Digest) 

• Appeal to Graduate with a Low Score on Regents Examination (1/14/25,  5/20/25 & 1/13/26 P-Digest) 

• Senior Certification Guide for High School Graduation (1/6/26 P-Digest)

• Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Commencement Credential (1/13/26 P-Digest)

Health & safety

• Bloodborne Pathogens Guidance for Principals & SESAs (9/10/24 P-Digest)  

Hospital instruction

• Procedures for Arranging Hospital Instruction for Students with Disabilities (12/3/24 P-Digest) 

• Medically Necessary Instruction and Hospital Instruction:  Academic Policy Guidance for Schools and Programs (6/4/24 P-Digest) 

Independent providers

• Updated Mass Waiver for Current DOE Employees Working as Independent Service Providers (9/10/24 P-Digest) 

IEPs

• IEP Guide (SESIS) (8/27/24 P-Digest) 

• IEP Development for Students Articulating to High School (SY 2025-26) (4/22/25 P-Digest) 

Kindergarten IEP Process (KIP)

• Viewing Kindergarten IEP Process (KIP) Students in SESIS (1/20/26 P-Digest) 
• Kindergarten IEP Process (KIP) Initials:  Guidance for CPSEs and School-Based IEP Teams (1/20/26 P-Digest) 
• Completing an Initial Referral for a Kindergarten IEP Process (KIP) student in SESIS (1/20/26 P-Digest) 
• Completing a Kindergarten IEP Process (KIP) Reevaluation Case in SESIS (1/20/26 P-Digest)

Medicaid

• Medicaid-in-Education Compliance Plan (1/20/26 P-Digest)

• Collecting Medicaid Consent and distributing Annual Written Notification (2/11/25 P-Digest) 

Non-public schools/homeschools

• Parental Notice of Intent to Place Child in Non-Public School or to Homeschool (3/18/25 P-Digest) 

Nursing services 

• Trip Nurse Policy for Students Requiring Nursing Services (4/22/25 & 6/10/25 P-Digest)  

Occupational and physical therapists

• Guidance:  OT and PT Transfer and Hiring Process for 2025-26 SY (6/17/25 P-Digest) 

Paraprofessionals

• Full-Time Paraprofessionals on Childcare Leave Eligible for Substitute Paraprofessional Service (4/16/24 P-Digest) 

Programming/staffing/coverage

• Mandated Use of Sub Central System (7/1/25 P-Digest) 

• Planning for the Provision of Special Education Programs 2025-26 (4/22/25 P-Digest) 

• Guidance for Hiring for the Provision of Special Education Programs and Services (4/1/25 P-Digest) 

Promotion

• Promotion Implementation Guide (1/6/26 P-Digest) 

• Promotion Policy for Students with Disabilities in Grades 3 to 8 (1/3/24 P-Digest) 

Related services

• Related Service Scheduling Guidelines (9/10/24 P-Digest)

• Guidance:  OT and PT Transfer and Hiring Process for 2025-26 SY (6/17/25 P-Digest)  

Section 504

• Evaluating DOE Student After-School & Extracurricular Activity Section 504 Accommodation Requests: Paraprofessional and/or Nursing Services (8/27/24 P-Digest) 

• 2024-25 Start of School Year Checklist for Principals (8/27/24 P-Digest)  

• 504 Plan Renewal for 2025-26 (5/20/25 P-Digest)  

• Section 504 Accommodation Plan Template (12/5/23 P-Digest) 

• Diabetes Section 504 Plan Template (12/5/23 P-Digest) 

Teacher evaluation

• Initial Planning Conference Toolkit (9/2/25 P-Digest)

Test accommodations

• NY State Test Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (3/11/25 P-Digest) 

• DOE Testing Accommodations Guidance (9/24/24 & 3/11/25 P-Digest)

• Quick Reference Guide for Computer-Based Testing Accommodations on State 3-8 Tests (3/11/25 P-Digest)

Transition support

• Guide to Transition Planning for Students with Disabilities(9/16/25 P-Digest)
• College Planning Guide for Students with Disabilities, Students with IEPs & 504 Plans (10/14/25 P-Digest)