N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:13A-4.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 6A:13A-4.4 - Intervention and support services

(a) The district board of education shall establish a preschool intervention and referral specialist (PIRS) at a 1:20 ratio of PIRS to preschool classrooms. School districts with more than 20 preschool classrooms shall also create a team of specialists, including the PIRS, using a consultative model as part of the intervention and referral services. The services shall be funded by the school district's preschool budget, as described in the school district's three-year preschool program plan and/or annual update. The position(s) may be:

1. Combined with the school district's existing intervention and referral services required by N.J.A.C. 6A:16; or

2. Fulfilled by contracting for PIRS services with a county or regional educational services commission approved by the State Board to do so.

(b) For school districts with fewer than 20 preschool classrooms, the PIRS may be fulfilled in one of the following ways:

1. Combine with the school district's existing intervention and referral services required by N.J.A.C. 6A:16;

2. Combine the preschool instructional coach position with another position within the school district, provided that the preschool instructional coach is not a classroom teacher and all PIRS qualifications established in this chapter are met;

3. Collaborate with one or more school district(s) to share the services of a PIRS; or

4. Contract for PIRS with a county or regional educational services commission approved by the State Board to do so.

(c) The PIRS shall be supervised by the early childhood school district administrator and shall work within a consultation model with relevant school district, private provider, and local Head Start agency staff and administrators to deliver preschool age-appropriate services designed to decrease referrals to special education and to maximize general education classroom teachers' ability to support all students.

(d) The PIRS position and/or team may be comprised of preschool teachers, psychologists, learning disabilities teacher consultants, school social workers, and speech and language specialists who shall have knowledge of the school district's curriculum and assessment and who shall either have experience working with preschool-aged children or acquire knowledge of the content and skills relevant to working with preschool-aged children through training, coursework, and/or professional development, as determined and provided for by the school district.

(e) The PIRS shall, at a minimum:

1. Consult with instructional coaches and preschool classroom teachers to adapt and modify teaching practices to help preschool children meet the Preschool Standards;

2. Conduct regular classroom visits to observe, model, provide feedback, and make recommendations about appropriate strategies, classroom modifications, and the selection of adaptive materials to address the needs of children with challenging behaviors or potential learning difficulties;

3. Provide professional development using a classroom quality assessment tool for instructional staff and administrators to facilitate preschool inclusion;

4. Coordinate with school district special services departments and child study team members, when appropriate, to ensure seamless preschool programming;

5. Refer children, when all other efforts have failed, to the school district child study team, as set forth at N.J.A.C. 6A:14, Special Education;

6. Bring professionals across disciplines together with families, as appropriate; and

7. Provide support to general education classroom teachers to address the needs of children with challenging behaviors or learning disabilities.

(f) The district board of education shall annually report the number of children served by the PIRS and the number of children referred to the child study team for formal evaluation in its three-year preschool program plan and/or annual update.

(g) The district board of education shall ensure that preschool students are not suspended, long-term or shortterm, and are not expelled from school, except as provided pursuant to the Zero Tolerance for Guns Act, N.J.S.A. 18A:37-7 et seq.

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:13A-4.4

Amended by R.2009 d.334, effective 11/2/2009.
See: 41 N.J.R. 2530(a), 41 N.J.R. 4077(a).
In the introductory paragraph of (a), inserted "and described in the school district's five-year preschool program plan and/or annual update, as required and approved by the Department"; in (d)1, substituted "Preschool Standards" for "Expectations"; and in (e), deleted "to the Department" following "report " and substituted "and/or annual update as required and approved by the Department" for "and annual updates".

Amended by 54 N.J.R. 1595(b), effective 8/15/2022