Preschool Services

little girl painting

Transition from EI to Preschool

If your child currently receives early intervention services your service coordinator will review the transition steps with you and make the referral to the Committee of Preschool Special Education (CPSE).  With your permission, your service coordinator will incorporate the transition plan into your IFSP.

The participants in the transition process include the family, early intervention service coordinator, early intervention official, CPSE chairperson and the approved evaluator selected by the family.

If your child does not receive early intervention services you can make a referral for your child by contacting your local school district and asking for the Special Education Department.  The chairperson will start the referral process and you will have the right to select an evaluator approved by the State Education Department from a list provided by the Board of Education.

For more information about preschool special education services, contact the Preschool Special Education Unit at the State Department of Education at (518) 473-6108.

Referral/Evaluation Process

Children are referred to the school district’s CPSE if they are suspected of having a disability which impairs their learning and development.  The evaluation will include information about functional areas related to cognitive, language, adaptive, social-emotional and motor development to determine the child’s individual needs.  A social history, physical examination, psychological evaluation and observation are also required components of the evaluation.

Eligibility

A child can be identified as having a disability if a significant delay exists in one or more functional area which adversely affects the child’s ability to learn.  A child can also receive services if he has one of the following classifications:

  • Autism
  • Deafness
  • Orthopedic impairment
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Deaf-blindness
  • Hearing impairment
  • Other health impairment
  • Visual impairment, including blindness

After your child is evaluated a CPSE meeting will be held with the parent, evaluator, chairperson and county representative to determine eligibility and the services your child may benefit from.

 

NCK Services

North Country Kids provides preschool services in a variety of settings including your child’s preschool, Headstart, child care facility or your  home.  In addition we offer integrated and inclusive classrooms approved by the State Education Department.

The CPSE will determine the services that are least restrictive and most beneficial for your child.

In the preschool program services follow the same schedule as your local school district.