As a teacher, I had easily attended over a hundred Committee on Special Education (CSE) meetings before ever having to attend one as a parent. Back in 2019, I went into that initial meeting as a mother advocating for her son feeling really confident. I knew the format of the meetings and I felt like I’d be able to communicate with the providers as a colleague. We were on the same team, right?
Unfortunately, I left that first meeting feeling blindsided and defeated. That CSE went very differently than I had imagined, very differently than I had witnessed countless times as a teacher. I realized that I needed support. I reached out to other moms, other teachers, and other service providers for suggestions. Now that I have been to around 10 CSE meetings as a parent for my own children, I feel I’m ready to pass on the words of wisdom, inside information, and ideas given to me by an incredible network of ‘been there, done that’ (BTDT) parents in this community.
What is a Committee on Special Education meeting?
In the state of New York, a CSE meeting is a conference for the parents of and the educators of a student to gather to share information and work together to determine how to support the academic success of a child who is currently struggling in school. CSE meetings can occur for a few different reasons. The two most common are:
A. If you suspect that your child might have a disability or needs more support that he/she receives in a typical classroom setting, you can request a (your first) CSE in writing. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A one-sentence email to the teacher (pro-tip: CC the building principal and the special education director) stating that you have concerns and you’d like to have a CSE meeting to discuss your concerns. The school district has 30 business days to comply with the request – which includes evaluations, reports, and gathering teacher input before the meeting even occurs. You can also have your pediatrician or other outside specialists evaluate your child and you can bring those results to the attention of the district in your request, as well. You will then attend a CSE meeting to determine your child’s eligibility for services. A teacher may also initiate this process by reaching out to a parent if he/she has concerns about a student’s progress and/or behavior.
B. If your child is already receiving district special education services, you will meet twice a school year to discuss your child’s progress and/or discuss concerns regarding his/her educational development and goals. The district will email you directly with the date and time of each meeting. If you cannot attend a meeting due to a conflict, you can reply to change the date. Luckily, most meetings are set well in advance so parents have plenty of time to take off work if necessary.
Who Will Be There?
Present at the meeting will be the Special Education Chairperson, the classroom teacher, the parents, any service providers from whom your child is receiving services or who did the evaluations such as special education teacher, occupational therapist, physical therapist, speech-language pathologist, school psychologist, and/or English as a New Language teacher, and any support people who the parent wishes to attend (more on that later.)
What Will Happen?
Most CSE meetings follow the same format.
- Introductions – Everyone will say their names and their relationship to your child or role in the school. Don’t be afraid to take notes. Ask people to slow down and repeat themselves, if necessary.
- The Special Education Chairperson will usually ask the student and the parents a general question about how the school year has been going/went. Here is a good time to recognize the hard work the teachers and service providers, specifically mentioning areas of improvement you’ve seen for your child. It’s also a the time to bring up any concerns or questions you have. Make a list ahead of time, if that helps you.
- The classroom teacher and service providers will take turns “reporting out”. They will have administered evaluations so they will share the reports. They will also offer up strategies they have seen help your child be successful. You are allowed to ask questions at any point during this time.
- You will be asked if you have any additional questions or comments.
- The committee will present a draft of an educational plan for your child – an individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 Plan – for the next school year based one what was discussed at the meeting. Everyone present will be asked to sign the draft. Later you will receive a copy of the official plan in the mail.
Additional Words of Advice
I have saved the best for last. These are the most useful insider tips I have ever received:
- Bring a support person to the CSE meeting. You are allowed to bring anyone to a CSE meeting who you feel can assist you in defending the educational rights of your child. You can attend with a family member who also helps care for your child; such as a grandparent who cares for your child after school or an aunt who cares for your child on the weekends. You can bring a friend who also parents a special needs child in the district. You can secure an educational advocate or even an educational lawyer. (A simple Google search for “educational advocate Rochester, NY” will bring up a list of choices.) You may be worried that this seems confrontational. However, it simply shows the district that you are taking this meeting seriously. Typically, you have to notify the district before the meeting of the name of who will be coming to the CSE meeting with you.
- If you are unhappy with the proposed educational plan at the end of CSE meeting, you do not have to sign anything. Again, you may worry about coming across as oppositional. However, trying to change the plan after you have signed off on it is near impossible. Refusing to sign will either grant you another meeting or a result in a Fair Hearing – a chance for you to talk with an Administrative Law Judge from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance why you think a decision about your child’s IEP or 504 Plan is wrong. While you wait for the date of the Fair Hearing, all services from the previous IEP or 504 Plan stay in place.
- Best vs Most Appropriate – Here is probably the hardest truth to hear. Legally, school districts do not have to provide your child with “the best” education. Of course, all educators strive to supply your children with the best educational opportunities possible. That’s not what I’m referring to. I’m talking about specifically about special education services that the district is required to provide. Remember, the district is looking at the situation from a budgetary perspective. Before you walk into a CSE meeting, replace the phrase ‘the best’ with ‘most appropriate’ in your lexicon. Here’s an example. Instead of something like Example A, try something like Example B.
A. “It would be best for my son to receive speech therapy three times a week because that’s where he really needs help.”
B. “Based on me son’s test results, speech therapy three times a week would be most appropriate in order to help him reach the educational goals outlined in his IEP.”
Final Thoughts
The goal is to work with the school district to help your child reach their full academic potential. Emotions can run high at a CSE meeting but it’s important to remember that teachers and providers do truly care about their students; even when you don’t see eye to eye on every detail in the IEP or 504 Plan. As I mentioned earlier, in every CSE meeting, I always thank the educators for their hard work and I mean it. Then I remind everyone at the meeting that if I get emotional it’s not personal. They may be focused on what’s appropriate for their student, but as a mom, I can’t help but fight for what’s best for my child.
