Official sources
🆕 Important change (2026-27): New York is joining the WIDA Consortium. The last NYSESLAT was in spring 2026. Starting spring 2027, English learners take the WIDA ACCESS (or Alternate ACCESS) test each year instead. The NYSITELL (the first English test for new students) continues until the WIDA Screener replaces it in fall 2027. Where this guide says "NYSESLAT", read it as "the yearly English test" (NYSESLAT before 2027, WIDA ACCESS from 2027). How students exit ELL status with WIDA ACCESS scores has not been published yet. Source: NYSED: WIDA Consortium and NYSED (checked Nov 7, 2026).
Every rule in the ENL and special education guides links to one of these official pages from the New York State Education Department (NYSED), New York State regulations (8 NYCRR Parts 154 and 200), or the U.S. Department of Education. All were checked Nov 7, 2026. Regulations change; the official page always wins.
Law and regulation map
| Topic | Rule | Where |
|---|---|---|
| ELL identification, placement, exit | 8 NYCRR Part 154 (Subpart 154-2) | NYSED OBEWL [source] [source] |
| ELLs with disabilities | 8 NYCRR Part 154 (Subpart 154-3) | NYSED [source] [source] |
| Special education procedures | 8 NYCRR Part 200 (200.4 process, 200.6 continuum) | [source] [source] |
| Procedural safeguards | 8 NYCRR Parts 200 and 201; IDEA | [source] [source] |
| Parent participation and interpreters | 34 CFR §300.322 (IDEA) | [source] |
| Section 504 | Rehabilitation Act, Section 504 | [source] [source] |
Official sources
Every rule on this page comes from these official pages (checked Nov 7, 2026). Rules can change. If a link and this page ever disagree, the official page wins.
- NYSED: ELL Identification Chart Guidance (CR Part 154)
- 8 NYCRR §154-2.3 (ELL identification, placement timelines), NYSED Office of Counsel
- NYSED: ELL Identification & Placement / Home Language Questionnaire
- NYSED: CR Part 154-2 (K-8) ENL Units of Study and Staffing table
- NYSED: Units of Study Tables for ENL and Bilingual Education
- NYSED: Units of Study Glossary
- NYSED: Former ELL/MLL Services and exit criteria
- NYSED: NYSESLAT Parent Information Brochure
- NYSED: Parents' Bill of Rights for ELL/MLL families and ELL Parent Hotline
- NYSED: ELL/MLL Assessment and Testing Accommodations
- NYSED OBEWL + Office of Special Education joint memo (Jan 2024): Bilingual and ENL services for ELLs who are students with disabilities
- NYSED: English Language Learners with an IEP (CR Part 154-3)
- NYSED: Special Education in New York State, A Parent's Guide (2025)
- NYSED: 8 NYCRR §200.4 (referral, evaluation, IEP, placement, review)
- 8 NYCRR §200.6 Continuum of services (official text via Cornell LII)
- NYSED: Procedural Safeguards Notice, Rights for Parents of Children with Disabilities
- NYSED: Testing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (updated Sept 2025)
- NYSED: Graduation Requirements and Exiting Credentials for Students with Disabilities
- NYSED: Superintendent Determination and Safety Net Options for Students with Disabilities
- NYSED: Graduation Measures (NY Inspires) FAQ
- NYSED memo (July 2022): 'emotional disability' replaces 'emotional disturbance'
- U.S. Department of Education: IDEA website
- 34 CFR §300.322 (IDEA): parent participation, interpreters, free copy of the IEP
- U.S. Dept. of Education OCR: Disability discrimination FAQ (Section 504)
- U.S. Dept. of Education OCR: How to file a discrimination complaint
- Long Island FACE Center (NYSED Office of Special Education partnership), LIU Center for Community Inclusion
This is general information, not legal advice.
We explain New York State and federal rules in plain words so families can make informed choices. For a decision about your child, talk with your school, a Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center, or a lawyer.
Facts checked Nov 7, 2026.