The Language of Special Education

When navigating the complicated Special Education system, you may encounter acronyms. This list, while not entirely comprehensive, will familiarize you with these common acronyms as you advocate for your special needs child.

ABA
Applied Behavioral Analysis

ACCESS-VR
Adult Career Continuing Education Services
– Vocational Rehabilitation

ADA
The Americans with Disabilities Act

AE
Age Equivalent

AIS
Academic Intervention Services

ASD
Autism Spectrum Disorder

AT
Assistive Technology

BIP
Behavioral Intervention Plan

BOCES
Board of Cooperative Educational Services

BOE
Board of Education

CCSS
Common Core State Standards

CDOS
Career Development and Occupational Studies

CPSE
The Committee on Preschool Special Education

CSE
Committee on Special Education

CST
Child Study Team

EI
Early Intervention

DASA
Dignity for All Students Act

DDSO
Developmental Disability Service Office

FAPE
Free and Appropriate Public Education

FBA
Functional Behavioral Assessment

FERPA
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

GE
Grade Equivalent

ID
Classification of Intellectual Disability

IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

IEE
Independent Educational Evaluations

IEP
Individualized Education Program

IFSP
Individualized Family Service Plan

IHO
Impartial Hearing Officer

IQ
Intelligence Quotient

ISE
Individualized Service Plan

LD
Classification of Learning Disability

LEA
Local Educational Agency

LRE
Least Restrictive Environment

NCLB
No Child Left Behind

NYSAA
New York State Alternate Assessment

NYSED
New York State Department of Education

OCR
Office of Civil Rights

OHI
Classification of Other Health Impaired

OMH
Office of Mental Health

OPWDD
Office of People with Developmental Disabilities

OSE
Office of Special Education

OSR
Office of State Review

OT
Occupational Therapy

PLOP
Present Levels of Performance

PR
Percentile Rank

PT
Physical Therapy

RCT
Regents Competency Test

RTI
Response to Intervention

SAAC
Skills and Achievement Credential

SCIS
Special Class Integrated Setting

SD
Standard Deviation OR School District

SED
State Education Department

SEIT
Special Education Itinerant Teacher

SLP
Speech Language Pathologist

SRO
State Review Officer

SS
Standard Score

SSA
Social Security Administration

SSDI
Social Security Disability

SNT
Supplemental Needs Trust

SSI
Supplemental Security Income

TBI
Traumatic Brain Injury

USDOE
United States Department of Education

Scroll to the bottom of this page to download a copy of these acronyms and their definitions as a PDF.

Was this article of interest to you? If so, please LIKE our Facebook Page by clicking here.