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)

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

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 P-Digest) 

Appeal to Graduate with a Low Score on Regents Examination (1/24/25 & 5/20/25 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) 

Medicaid

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 (5/7/25 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)