This special needs page is meant to be a resource for homeschooling parents in New York State. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, you can contact Mary Fratianni, NYS LEAH Special Needs Coordinator (email: fratpak@verizon.net).

About the NYS LEAH Special Needs Coordinator:

Mary and husband, Ed, have been homeschooling their special needs son since 1999. They have been a member family of the National Association for Child Development since December of 2000. They are members of NATHHAN. Mary is the Chapter Leader of Parents Instructing Challenged Children (PICC) LEAH (email: piccleah@verizon.net). She is a member of New Life LEAH. She serves at the New York State LEAH Conventions (New York City/Long Island and Upstate) as Special Needs Coordinator and speaks on special needs topics.

Resources

• Special Needs Resource List (PDF file)
• Parents Instructing Challenged Children (PICC) LEAH www.piccnys.com
• Protection & Advocacy for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PADD) - The Commission on Quality of Care contracts wih offices thoughout the state to provide free legal services to individuals with developmental disabilities (there are similar programs for other types of disabilities). These offices all have a wealth of experience in special education advocacy. To find the PADD office in your area go to: www.cqc.state.ny.us/advocacy/palist.htm#PADD

NYS Special Needs ALERT:

On July 7, 2008, New York Governor David Paterson signed bill A11463, the bill which restores special services to disabled homeschool children. This was the final step in making this bill a law in the state of New York. Disabled homeschool children in New York are once again eligible to receive critically needed special services, on the same basis as other students in New York.

If you have disabled homeschooled children that need to receive special services under the provisions of this new law, please note that the signing of this bill set into motion a 30-day window in which you need to make a written request to your school district for such services. Parents must submit a written request for such services to the school district where they reside by August 6, 2008!

Please check the Parents Instructing Challenged Children (PICC-LEAH) website (www.piccnys.com) for more information and updates as to the policies and procedures regarding this new law.