Special Education Technical Assistance Support Center (SE-TASC)

The Special Education Technical Assistance Center is part of the New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) Office of Special Education. SE-TASC services are made possible by a contract with NYSED under the provisions of the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA).

SE-TASC trained educators provide targeted technical assistance to school districts determined through the NYS Differentiated Accountability System to be at risk, in need of assistance or intervention. SE-TASC services are part of a coordinated system of support in the Mid-Hudson Region for Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties that includes:

• Local Special Education School Improvement Specialist (SESIS) located in each BOCES
• Regional Coordinator and Regional Team of Specialists
• Regional Special Education Training
• Regional Bilingual Special Education
• Regional Transition Specialist
• Regional Behavior Specialist
• Non-Public Special Education School Improvement Specialist

SE-TASC services in Ulster County are offered to general and special education teachers in Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and private agencies, district and building administrators, board of education members, support staff, Building-Level Teams, and Instructional Support Teams.

Through targeted technical assistance, a SE-TASC Special Education School Improvement Specialist (SE-SIS) assists in identifying priority areas of need related to the integration and achievement of students with disabilities. The SE-SIS provides on-site support designed to assist districts in meeting the Office of Special Education’s goals through an interactive process of collaboration, data analysis, and classroom, building, or district plan development including the Quality Improvement Process Plan (QIP). The Special Education School Improvement Specialist also assists in the Diagnostic Tool for School and District Effectiveness (DTSDE) process for districts not meeting the three areas of criteria for students with disabilities.

The main focus of the SE-SIS at Ulster BOCES will be to work closely with those identified districts and educators to build the capacity of the district and educators to support the achievement of students with disabilities. The work of the SE-SIS will focus on improvement of instructional practices primarily in the areas of literacy, positive behavioral supports, and special education delivery systems for students with disabilities. This work is guided by the Quality Indicator Resource and Review Guide.

Ulster BOCES SE-TASC also houses an extensive lending library of curriculum materials, video and DVD training series, research-based informational books, and related literature. The center also provides a forum for countywide educators to come together monthly in workgroups covering a wide variety of topics to discuss best practices, latest techniques, procedures, NYSED policy updates, etc.