CSE Referrals
Welcome to a new school year! We are committed to our students and families in Clinton Central School District! If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me at the number listed below. Have a great school year!
Elizabeth Dougherty
Director of Pupil Personnel and Instruction
315-557-2229
Special Education Staff
Elizabeth Dougherty – Director of Pupil Personnel and Instruction
Tina Lallier- Secretary
Caterina Kernan - School Psychologist K-12
Mackenzie Roy - School Social Worker Rachel Brenon - School Social Worker 1-6
Alexis Kemp-School Social Worker 6-8
Anthony Sirianni- School Social Worker 9-12
Monica Crumrine - Speech/Language Therapist K-12
Committee on Special Education (CSE)
Each Board of Education in the State of New York must appoint a Committee on Special Education in the district. The district must locate and identify all children from birth to age 21 who reside in the district. The purpose of the Committee on Special Education is to determine whether a child has a disability that impairs or affects his/her learning. The CSE determines the particular needs of the child with disabilities and recommends the appropriate educational program and/or services to meet each student's individual needs. The CSE is an interdisciplinary team composed of district staff and other required members. If you wish to refer a student, please contact your student’s building principal or the Director of Pupil Personnel and Instruction, Elizabeth Dougherty, 315-557-2229. Response to Intervention is typically the first step in this process.
Response to Intervention (RtI) Response to Intervention represents an important educational strategy to close achievement gaps for all students, including students at risk, students with disabilities and English language learners, by preventing smaller learning problems from becoming insurmountable gaps. It has also been shown to lead to more appropriate identification of students with learning disabilities and in the identification of interventions for students.
Educators make important decisions about students’ educational programs on a daily basis. These decisions include changes to programs and interventions for struggling learners with the goal being that all children have the tools to meet the standards. When determining whether or not a child is learning disabled, extensive and accurate information needs to be considered. Often times, the students’ needs can be met through the interventions provided by RtI.
Procedures for using Response to Intervention Educators make important decisions about students' educational programs, including decisions as to whether a student who is struggling to meet the standards set for all children might need changes in the nature of early intervention and instruction or might have a learning disability. This decision as to whether a student has a learning disability must be based on extensive and accurate information that leads to the determination that the student's learning difficulties are not the result of the instructional program or approach. Response to Intervention is an effective and instructionally relevant process to inform these decisions.
Appropriate instruction is provided to all students in the general education classroom. When a student requires interventions through RtI, parents will receive written notification explaining the following:
- amount and nature of student performance data that will be collected and the general education services that will be provided;
- strategies for increasing the student’s rate of learning; and
- parents’ right to request an evaluation for special education programs and/or services.
CSE EVALUATIONS
An evaluation helps to determine if special education services or programs are needed. An evaluation includes various tests and assessments to determine what your child’s learning difficulties may be. An initial evaluation must include:
• A physical examination
• A psychological evaluation
• A social history
• Observation of your child in his or her current education setting
• Other tests or assessments that are appropriate for your child (such as speech and language assessment or a functional behavioral assessment)
• Vocational assessments (required at age 14)