New rankings released from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) this month gives Middleburgh Central Schools a top ranking under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). NYSED says the district “Meets Requirements”. Under a previous ranking, the district was ranked a step lower, at “Needs Assistance”.
“I believe our work as a district in instruction in general education has had a direct impact on all students,” said Maura Green, Director of Pupil Personnel Services. “I believe the actions we took as a department has also had a direct impact on all students. We will continue to strive for excellence.”
Superintendent Brian P. Dunn also thank Ms. Green and the Special Education department for all their hard work, noting that Middleburgh has been trending upward in graduation rates and being named a school in good standing under ESSA since the turn of the new calendar year.
The IDEA is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children. The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
States must consider compliance and may consider other performance indicators in relation to the state’s targets for improvement for these indicators. Based upon this information, the state must determine whether the district meets the requirements and purposes of IDEA, needs assistance in implementing the requirements of IDEA, needs intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA, or needs substantial intervention in implementing the requirements of IDEA (34 CFR §300.603). New York State makes its annual IDEA determinations based on consideration of both a district’s performance outcomes and compliance status.
The four rankings of IDEA compliance are:
- Meets Requirements
- Needs Assistance
- Needs Intervention
- Needs Substantial Intervention
The state rankings for every school district can be found here. More information about IDEA from NYSED can be found here.