Special Education Services

The Special Education and Pupil Services Office is located in the east wing of Saxton Middle School. The telephone number is 631-687-6440.

Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE)

The primary function of the Committee on Preschool Education (CPSE) is to identify, evaluate, review the status of, and make recommendations concerning the appropriate special education services of each preschool child with a disability and to facilitate the delivery of those services.  If you suspect that your child has a disability or are referred by your doctor or a preschool professional, please contact: Lori Goldstein Director of Preschool Special Education.

Committee on Special Education (CSE)

Students who are suspected of having a learning disability are referred to a multidisciplinary team called the Committee on Special Education (CSE). The Committee on Special Education (CSE) is responsible for servicing children with disabilities from 5 to 21 years of age. Children who are identified as having a learning disability are referred for Special Education. Specially designed individualized or group instruction, special services or special programs are recommended through this committee to meet the individual needs of students. Special Education programs and services are provided for the student at no cost to the parent.  If you suspect your child has a disability, please contact:

As specified by New York State Education Law and the Commissioner's Regulations, a continuum of program alternatives is available to meet the varied needs of students with disabilities who reside in the Patchogue-Medford School District.  The continuum represents programs which are available within the district, by contract with neighboring school districts, provided by BOCES or private educational agencies and by State supported schools.

Continuum of Services Offered Within Patchogue-Medford School District Schools

Related Services

•             Speech Language Services
•             Occupational therapy
•             Physical Therapy
•             Counseling Services
•             Hearing/ Vision Itinerant Services

Consultant Teacher (CT) - direct and/or indirect services to students with disabilities who attend regular education classes, including career and technical education classes, and/or to such students’ regular education teachers.

Resource Room (RR) - supplements the regular or special classroom instruction of students with disabilities who are in need of such supplemental programs.

Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) - the provision of specially designed instruction and academic instruction provided to a group of students with disabilities and nondisabled students.

Special Class - Equivalent and Non-Equivalent - Students are placed into special education programs only when the severity of their disability is such that education in general education classes even with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily. The following standards shall be used in the provision of special classes for students with disabilities:

1. A student with a disability shall be placed in a special class for instruction on a daily basis to the extent indicated in the student's individualized education program.
2. In all cases the size and composition of a class shall be based on the similarity of the individual needs of the students

Parents should discuss the differences between Equivalent and Non-equivalent Special Classes during their child’s CSE meeting. 

The special education directors are also available to discuss and answer questions about all of the abovementioned programs. The special education directors can be reached at 631-687-6440.

Services in Non-Public Schools:

Parents of students who have an IEP and enroll their child in a nonpublic school (both private and parochial) where they are paying tuition, must, in writing, notify the school district where the non-public school is located, that they are requesting special education services. This request must be received by the district of location no later than June 1st before the start of the school year in which services are to be provided.  This request must be done each year.