NYSTCE 060 key terms

A legal requirement that public schools provide a student with a disability an education designed to meet that student's individual needs, at no cost to the family, with the supports needed for meaningful progress.

The principle that a student with a disability should be educated alongside peers without disabilities, in a general education setting, to the greatest extent appropriate, with supplementary aids and services as needed.

A state and district obligation to actively locate, identify, and evaluate all children who may have a disability and need special education, including children who are homeless, privately placed, or not yet enrolled.

The principle that no child may be excluded from public education because of a disability; schools must serve every eligible student regardless of the nature or severity of the disability.

Rights granted to parents under special education law, including notice of proposed changes, access to records, informed consent, and the option to file a complaint or request a hearing.

A written plan developed by a team that describes a student's present levels of performance, measurable annual goals, special education and related services, accommodations, and placement, and is reviewed at least yearly.

Supportive services a student needs in order to benefit from special education, such as speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, physical therapy, and school nursing.

The range of settings, from full-time general education through homebound or residential programs, that a team considers when selecting the least restrictive environment for a student.

A plan under a federal civil rights law that gives a student whose disability limits a major life activity equal access to school through accommodations, without requiring specialized instruction.

An assessment scored by comparing a student's performance with that of a representative sample of same-age peers, usually reported as standard scores, stanines, or percentile ranks.

An assessment that measures a student's performance against a fixed set of skills or standards rather than against other students, often used to check mastery of specific objectives.

An estimate of how much an obtained test score is likely to differ from the score a student would earn on repeated testing, used to judge whether score differences are meaningful.

The consistency of an assessment in producing stable results across repeated administrations, different raters, or comparable items; it is necessary for, but does not guarantee, valid score interpretation.

The degree to which an assessment measures what it claims to measure and supports the specific interpretations and decisions, such as eligibility determinations, that educators base on its scores.

Brief, timed probes of basic academic skills drawn from the curriculum, given repeatedly to show whether a student's rate of learning is improving and whether instruction should change.

A quick assessment given to all students in a class or school to identify those who may need additional support or further evaluation before academic or behavioral problems become serious.

A tiered framework in which students receive increasingly intensive, research-based instruction while their progress is monitored to guide instructional decisions and possible special education referral.

The everyday skills a person needs to function independently, such as communication, self-care, social skills, and safety, typically measured when identifying intellectual disability.

Planning lessons so that content, process, products, or environment are adjusted to match students' readiness, interests, and learning profiles within the same classroom.

A framework for designing curriculum from the outset with multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression so that diverse learners can access content without individual retrofitting.

Teaching that clearly states the objective, models the skill, guides practice with feedback, and then provides independent practice, leaving little for students to infer on their own.

Temporary support such as models, prompts, or step-by-step guidance that helps a student complete a task and is gradually withdrawn as the student gains competence.

A change in how a student accesses material or demonstrates learning, such as extended time, a reader, or preferential seating, that does not alter the content or expectations of the task.

A change to what a student is expected to learn or demonstrate, such as reduced content, simplified texts, or alternate achievement standards, which does alter the level of the assignment.

A schoolwide framework that teaches and reinforces expected behavior, uses data to identify problems, and provides increasingly intensive supports rather than relying mainly on punishment.

A structured process of gathering information about what happens before and after a problem behavior in order to identify its purpose and design effective, positive supports.

A written plan based on assessment data that describes proactive strategies, replacement skills to teach, and responses to problem behavior for a student whose behavior impedes learning.

Any device, software, or service that increases, maintains, or improves the functional capabilities of a student with a disability, ranging from pencil grips to speech-generating devices.

Breaking a complex skill into small, sequenced steps so the student can be taught, prompted, and assessed one step at a time until the whole skill is performed independently.

A strategy in which a student records and evaluates their own behavior or work, often with a checklist or tally, to build awareness and reduce dependence on adult prompting.

A partnership in which a general educator and a special educator plan, deliver, and assess instruction together in one classroom, sharing responsibility for all students in the room.

A voluntary, ongoing problem-solving relationship in which a specialist helps general educators design and adjust instruction for students with disabilities without taking over the classroom.

A practice in which educators examine how their own cultural assumptions shape their interpretations of families and seek to understand and respect the family's perspective.

A trained school staff member who supports students under the supervision of a certified teacher, carrying out instructional, behavioral, or personal care tasks outlined in the student's program.

A group of professionals from different disciplines who share information and coordinate evaluation and services so the student's program addresses health, learning, and social needs together.

Required planning that begins by age sixteen and identifies postsecondary goals for education, employment, and independent living, along with the services and courses needed to reach them.

A voluntary, confidential meeting led by a neutral facilitator to help parents and school staff resolve disagreements about special education services without proceeding to a due process hearing.