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Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year. We missed you while you were gone on summer vacation but we’re so happy you’re back! We look forward to the start of another wonderful and exciting year at Barker. I would like share several important pieces of information with you regarding Special Education and McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Information.
Our Instructional Services/Special Education Department is focused on supporting our diverse learners and fostering an inclusive culture within our schools and community. We are committed to a strong partnership with parents, families and school district personnel in the education of our children. Here at Barker we seek to educate the whole child in preparation for the transition into adulthood to support occupational and economic success as life-long learners. Please feel free to contact me with any questions: mlearo@barkercsd.net or 716-795-3350.
What is Special Education?
Special Education services are designed individualized or group instruction, special services, or programs to meet the unique needs of students with identified disabilities. Special Education programs and services are provided for eligible students, ages 3-21. If you believe that your school-age child may be in need of Special Education services and related programs, or young child (age 3 to school-age) may be in need of early intervention, screening and evaluation processes designed to asses the needs of the child and his/her eligibility are available to you.Who can make a referral to Special Education?
A CSE (Committee on Special Education) or CPSE (Committee on Pre-School Special Education) referral is a written statement asking that the school district evaluate a child to determine if they need special education services. This written statement should be addressed to Mark Learo, and can either be hand-written or emailed (mlearo@barkercsd.net). A referral to Special Education can be completed by a child’s teacher, other school personnel or by you as the parent.If you suspect that your 3, 4 or 5-year-old child, who has not yet entered kindergarten, has a disability and may need Special Education services, please contact me and I will assist with answering your questions about this process. For concerns about children under the age of 3, please contact the Niagara County Department of Health - Early Intervention program at 716-278-1691 or 716-278-8288.
What are the next steps after a referral has been made?
After a CSE/CPSE referral has been submitted, the committee will determine which evaluations are the most appropriate to conduct based on reported student needs. After the evaluation process is completed, parents will be invited to a meeting, as a member of the committee, to discuss the results. At the meeting, the committee will review the evaluation results. Based on that information, and information provided by the parents, the committee will decide if the child is eligible or ineligible to receive special education programs and/or services. In order to be eligible, a child must have a disability that affects their ability to learn. If the committee decides a child is eligible for services, they will identify the disability category and develop and implement an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to meet the child’s needs.New York State Education Department McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act:
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act guarantees educational rights and supports for students experiencing homelessness, and seeks to remove any barriers these students may face in succeeding in school.
Under this act, homeless children and youth are defined as A. an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; and B. includes children and youth who are sharing the housing of another person due to loss of housing, economic hardship, are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations, are living in emergency or transitional shelters or who have been abandoned; C. children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodations for human beings; D. children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, or similar settings, and migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in any of the circumstances described previously.McKinney-Vento provides protections that ensure children and youth are enrolled in school; have access to and receive educational services for which they are eligible; receive needed referrals to health care, dental care, mental health, substance abuse care, housing and other appropriate services; parents, guardians, and unaccompanied youth are fully informed of all transportation services available (including transportation to the school of origin, and are assisted in accessing transportation).
If you are experiencing ‘homelessness’ as defined above, please contact me to access any of the supports mentioned here.
Mark Learo
Director of Instructional Services/Assistant Principal
mlearo@barkercsd.net
716-795-3350