City Honors IB Policies

IB's Academic Integrity Policy - for All Stakeholders

1. The purpose of this document is to make transparent the policies and procedures with regard to Academic Integrity at City Honors School.

2. The IB Organization, and City Honors School at Fosdick-Masten Park, define academic misconduct as behavior (whether deliberate or inadvertent) that results in, or may result in, the student or any other student gaining an unfair advantage in one or more components of assessment. Behavior that may disadvantage another student is also regarded as academic misconduct. Academic misconduct is a breach of these regulations and includes, but is not restricted to, the following:

a. plagiarism—this is defined as the representation, intentionally or unintentionally, of the ideas, words or work of another person without proper, clear and explicit acknowledgment.

b. collusion—this is defined as supporting academic misconduct by another student, for example, allowing one’s work to be copied or submitted for assessment by another.

c. duplication of work—this is defined as the presentation of the same work for different assessment components and/or DP core requirements.

d. misconduct during an examination (for example, taking unauthorized material into an examination, behavior that disrupts the examination or distracts other students, or communicating with another student).

e. any other behavior that gains an unfair advantage for a student or that affects the results of another student (for example, falsifying a CAS record, disclosure of information to and receipt of information from students about the content of an examination paper within 24 hours after a written examination via any form of communication/media).

3. As an IB World School for both the Middle Years and Diploma Programs, City Honors School works to promote all ten (10) Learner Profile Traits in all students. The main learner profile trait that relates to academic integrity is Principled and the school works to help students internalize what that means. Specifically, that “we act with integrity and integrity, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.”

4. Proper use of referencing conventions is taught at every grade level in our English Language Arts classes, along with age-appropriate guidance on expected behaviors and relevant examples. Additionally, teachers use turnitin.com to help monitor and authenticate student work and to also help students to understand the proper use of paraphrasing, quoting sources, etc…. Non-ELA teachers also work with students and teach about academic integrity as it relates to their individual classes. Students are notified of the procedures each teacher will follow, should an incident of academic misconduct be suspected of taking place.

Each teacher at City Honors references Academic Honesty, and what that means at City Honors School, as necessary throughout the school year.

5. The regulations for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program with regard to academic integrity on Internal or External Assessments for the IB Diploma Program state:

a. (21.1) If questions arise about the authenticity of a student’s work before submission for assessment, the situation must be resolved within the school. If possible academic misconduct (for example, plagiarism, collusion) is identified after a student’s work has been submitted to the IB Organization for assessment, the school’s DP coordinator must inform the IB Organization as soon as possible. For work that is internally assessed, “submission” refers to the deadline by which teachers’ marks must be submitted to the IB Organization. For work that is externally assessed, other than the scripts from the written examinations, “submission” refers to the student signing the declaration of authenticity for their work.

b. (21.2) When a school, an examiner, or the IB Organization establishes evidence to suspect academic misconduct by a student, the school will be required to conduct an investigation and provide the IB Organization with statements and other relevant documentation concerning the case. If a school fails to support the investigation into possible academic misconduct, no grade will be awarded to the student in the subject(s) concerned.

c. (21.3) If the IB Organization notifies a school that a student is suspected of academic misconduct and that the IB Organization has the intention of initiating an investigation, at the discretion of the head of school it is permissible for the student to be withdrawn from the session or from the subject(s) in which academic misconduct may have occurred. However, at the discretion of the IB Organization the investigation into the suspected academic misconduct by the student may still proceed and a decision be reached on whether to uphold or dismiss academic misconduct. If a student is withdrawn from a subject no mark for that subject may contribute to the award of a grade in a future examination session.

d. (21.4) Students suspected of academic misconduct must be invited, through the school’s DP coordinator, to present a written statement that addresses the suspicion of academic misconduct. If a student declines to present a statement, the investigation and decision on whether the student is in breach of regulations will still proceed.

e. (21.5) The majority of cases of suspected academic misconduct will be presented to a sub-committee of the Final Award Committee. The sub-committee will normally comprise IB Organization staff, school representatives, and chief/deputy chief examiners, but any group or combination of these persons may make decisions on cases subject to the approval of the Final Award Committee. The sub-committee will be chaired by the chair or vice-chair of the Final Award Committee, or a chief examiner nominated by the vice-chair.

f. (21.6) Decisions of the sub-committee are made on behalf of and under the supervision of the Final Award Committee. After reviewing all statements and evidence collected during the investigation, the sub-committee will decide whether to dismiss the suspicion of academic misconduct, uphold it, or ask for further investigations to be made. If the sub-committee is unable to reach a decision then the case will be referred to the Final Award Committee.

g. (21.7) If the sub-committee decides that a case of academic misconduct has been established, a penalty will be applied in the subject(s) concerned. The penalty will, in the judgment of the sub-committee, be commensurate with the severity of the misconduct. If a case of academic misconduct is considered by the Final Award Committee to be very serious, the Final Award Committee may decide not to issue a grade for a student in the subject(s) concerned and additionally prohibit the student from being registered in any future examination sessions.

h. (21.8) If no grade is issued for a subject that contributes to a student’s IB Diploma, no IB Diploma will be awarded to the student. DP Course Results will be awarded for other subjects in which no academic misconduct has occurred. Except in cases of serious or repeat misconduct, the student will be permitted to register for future examination sessions, which may include the session that follows six months later, if the relevant registration deadlines are met. In the case of an IB Diploma Student, if the session in which the academic misconduct has been established is the student’s third examination session towards achieving the award of the IB Diploma, no further IB examination sessions will be permitted.

i. (21.9) If the student has already been found in breach of regulations in any previous session, this will normally lead to disqualification from participation in any future examination session.

j. (21.10) If there is substantive evidence, the IB Organization is entitled to conduct an investigation into academic misconduct after a student’s results have been issued. If academic misconduct is subsequently established by the Final Award Committee, or its sub-committee, the student’s grade for the subject(s) concerned may be withdrawn from the student which will also result in the withdrawal of their IB Diploma where applicable.

6. The essential aspect of academic integrity as it relates to reports, essays, or research projects is that the student acknowledges the contributions of others in the completion of work and does not misrepresent work as his or her own when it is not. Students should gather information and ideas from various sources and should select what is most relevant and reliable for the completion of projects. When producing reports or essays, students must acknowledge these sources. If teachers and students use third-party material as stimuli and/or as part of any of their tasks this material must be fully referenced. While there is no mandated school-wide referencing convention, the English Language Arts Department will instruct students in the use of MLA and this instruction will take place at every grade level.

7. Teachers are expected to minimize the opportunities for students to partake in collusion, misconduct, or academic dishonesty. These actions include, but are not limited to, making sure no student has a cell phone on their person during an in-class assessment, placing desks far enough apart so students can not read each others’ answers, differentiating homework assignments so students are less inclined to copy others’ assignments, and varying/changing assessments and labs from year to year, and being vigilant while the assessment is taking place.

8. Procedures if Academic Misconduct is suspected on assessments

a. If a student is suspected of academic malpractice during an in-class assessment, the teacher will move the student, remove from reach anything the student was using to gain unfair advantage on the assessment, and allow the student to finish the assessment.

b. If a student is suspected of academic malpractice on an assessment, the student will be notified of this fact and the teacher will contact and talk to the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) - either on the phone or in person.

c. The student will be required to write a statement regarding the incident.

d. If the student is found to have committed academic malpractice (intentional or unintentional), the student will have to re-do the assessment and a 20% deduction from the in-school grade will be taken off the new assessment once it is graded as a sanction for academic malpractice.

e. In the case of an assessment that would have taken a significant amount of time to produce, the student will be given a reasonable amount of time to submit the new assessment.

f. Additionally, the teacher is responsible for entering details about this infraction into the Infinite Campus Student Information System. Specifically, information on the infraction, the penalty, and date/details of discussion with student and parent/guardian.

g. If a student or parent/guardian believes an incorrect determination has occurred, the student or parent/guardian may appeal the determination to the administrator in charge of supervising the academic department of the teacher. The decision of the administrator is final.

h. If a pattern of academic misconduct begins to emerge, an administrator will work with the school’s Student Support Team and the parent(s)/guardian(s) of that student. Additionally, other sanctions may be put in place toward the goal of permanent remediation of this issue.

9. This policy will be revisited at least every three years and revised when necessary by the school's pedagogical leadership team and the School Based Management Team. It is widely communicated through our website and our teachers.

City Honors School is a supportive learning community that provides a culture of collaboration and promotes critical thinking through the International Baccalaureate Program at all grade levels and for all students. By providing an accelerated curriculum and an enriched environment, where international-mindedness is promoted and celebrated, City Honors School endeavors to develop life-long learners who are caring and innovative global citizens.

The purposes of assessment at City Honors School, whether in the IB Middle Years Program (grades 5-10), the IB Diploma Program (grades 11 & 12), Advanced Placement classes, New York State Regents, or special education classes, is:

• To determine student preparation for further education, the work force, and to become a productive global citizen.
• To inform a teacher’s instructional planning and practices.
• To provide feedback for students and parents regarding what each individual student knows and is able to do relative to the demands of the accelerated instructional program.
• To serve as a benchmarking tool, informing students, parents, and teachers as to the progress students are making toward accelerated learning objectives.

What is assessed:

•  A student’s ability to recall, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and create/synthesize the knowledge and concepts acquired in an accelerated educational setting.

The practice of assessment is one of shared responsibilities. It is critical that each stakeholder understand his or her role in the process.

• Students demonstrate understanding of the learning value of assessments by respecting and adhering to assessment deadlines, both formative and summative, and endeavoring at all times to do their best work.
• Parents monitor and support the student’s engagement and investment in his/her learning, helping them to balance their schoolwork demands with their extracurricular activities.
• Teachers make clear to students the value and application of criteria-based rubrics, undertake the collaborative practice of criteria-norming, ensure that homework reinforces learning objectives, and construct assessments that demonstrate student achievement of course objectives.  Teachers maintain course syllabi and keep grade books current so that expectations, including assessment, are clear and outcomes are readily available.
• Administrators and Support Staff work with Curriculum Lead Teachers to monitor assessment activity to facilitate a balanced schedule across curricula, assist in sharing of information/assessment data to teachers across curricula to assist in student-support efforts, and work with teachers to better understand assessment practices and rubrics.

Assessment should provide multiple opportunities for success throughout the learning process – before, during, and following teacher instruction and student-directed learning experiences. The frequency of assessments (and types thereof) is left to the discretion of each educator.

Types of Assessment: Formal and/or informal pre-assessments/ diagnostics that are used before the learning in order to guide teachers’ instructional planning:

• Formative assessments measure learning along the way; produce evidence of learning; provide timely feedback to students and teachers; and inform instruction. Results on formative assessments should ideally serve students and teachers by providing critical information about the points that might need re-teaching, or what concepts students have and have not grasped.
• Summative assessments allow students to show what they have learned at the culmination of a unit of study. Students are provided criteria in advance of summative assessments. These assessments can include presentations, tests, projects, reflections, experiments, simulated learning experiences, and exit interviews.
• Assessments aligned with the relevant New York State Regents, IB/AP requirements, and New York State and Common Core Curriculum Standards.
• Final assessments include, but are not limited to, required New York State Regents examinations, school-based final examinations, projects, or performances in courses not tested by the state.
• Standardized assessments not included in students’ final grades include the Advanced Placement examinations administered by the College Board as well as International Baccalaureate examinations.
• City Honors students who are enrolled in an IB/AP class that also has a New York State Regents examinations attached to it take both the IB/AP assessments and also take the New York State Regents examination in those courses. There are no national requirements or combining of IB/AP assessments with state requirements.

Grading scales:

• City Honors is transitioning to all numeric grades. For the 2020-2021 school year, the Class of  2021 is still using letter grades. Therefore, Grades 5-11 use numeric grades. The letter/numerical equivalents at CHS, aligned to the District’s numeric grades, are as follows for Grade 12.

Numeric grade scale for students in Grade 12:

A+ 98-100; A 95-97; A- 92-94; B+ 89-91; B 86-88; B- 83-85; C+ 80-82; C 77-79; C- 74-76; D+ 71-73; D 68-70; D- 65-67; F below 65.

Marking/Assessment tools:

• Assessment tools include: rubrics, exemplars/benchmarks, open-ended questions or tasks, school or district-generated formal/written tests, online diagnostics, NYS Assessments, NYS Regents examinations, AP and IB examinations.
• When two or more instructors teach the same IB DP course, they set aside time before and after internal assessments to calibrate their marking so that scoring is consistent across the board.

Recording/Reporting:

• All teachers are required to use the Infinite Campus Grade Book. This allows parents and students real-time grade book access through the Parent Portal.
• School-wide parent-teacher conferences are held in the fall of each year, and other conferences are provided as needed throughout the school year.
• Quarterly report cards are issued every ten weeks, allowing teachers to post not only a summative score for the quarter, but also comments indicating commendations and recommendations. Five-week progress reports can also be completed and sent home at the discretion of the teacher.
• Reports issued by the College Board for AP courses are sent directly to the students in July.  Summaries of these reports are sent to the school and the individual AP teachers, who also receive Instructional Planning Reports in September. Grades on IB examinations can be accessed by students in July.

This policy will be revisited at least every three years and revised when necessary by the school's pedagogical leadership team and the School Based Management Team. It is widely communicated through our website and our teachers.

English is the language of delivery for the diploma program at City Honors School.

While approximately 24 different languages are spoken in the homes of City Honors students, all students at City Honors School are fully fluent in English and, to date, have never required ELL support. However, this policy, and the language policy of the Buffalo Public School District, are in place to ensure that any ELL student in the future have full access to language resources and support.

Currently, French and Spanish and Mandarin are the three world languages offered at our school. All three are Language B SL courses offered over two years.

Due to the nature of Mandarin Chinese, weaker students are evaluated by their teacher and given the option of taking ab initio instead of B SL (as per IB’s recommendations regarding the proper language assessment “level” for a student).

The choice of language has no impact on students’ grades.

Our policy towards non-native speakers (which is an extremely rare occurrence at City Honors) is the policy we are required to follow as per Buffalo Public Schools regulations.

Mother tongue support and how the school communicates with the parents of non-English speakers is also covered by the Buffalo Public Schools Language Policy, listed below.
 
English Language Learners

A primary goal of City Honors School the Buffalo Public School District with relation to language is to ensure that all students receive equitable access to the curriculum and to instruction that is differentiated appropriately to meet their academic needs. The District recognizes that the achievement of this goal requires the collaboration and shared responsibility of staff at all levels, including central office, building principals, teachers, and instructional support personnel. In order to ensure equity for English Language Learners (ELL), the District sets forth this policy, which aims to provide educational opportunities that will result in high academic achievement, English language proficiency, and attainment of post-secondary success.

The District will:

1. Identify students with limited English proficiency and place in appropriate English as a Second Language and/or bilingual education programs in accordance with New York State Regulations (CR Part 117 and CR Part 154) and Federal Requirements (NCLB Title I and Title III).

2. Provide access to appropriate instructional programs, across academic settings, that are grounded in an evidentiary base of scientific research in alignment with New York State Standards and that consider and/or include:

* English language proficiency/literacy skills

* Effective English as a Second Language (ESL) methodologies

* Native language proficiency/literacy skills as required

* Effective bilingual instructional strategies, as appropriate

* Effective academic interventions and support services

* Instructional materials that are culturally responsive and that support and facilitate     language development

* Inclusion in District specialized programs (e.g. vocational, etc.)

* Acculturation support for newly arrived students and their families

3. Monitor progress of English Language Learners utilizing appropriate assessment instruments, as required by New York State regulations and as outlined in the District’s Three-Year Academic Plan, including:

* Yearly progress towards learning English (NYSESLAT)

* Literacy development in English

* Literacy development in the native language (Bilingual Programs)

* Academic progress in the content areas

* Timely and appropriate transition to monolingual programs

* Data collection that is timely and appropriate for program decision-making

4. Communicate with parents/guardians and community members to promote understanding, support, and involvement by:

* Disseminating information in multiple languages

* Providing informational sessions regarding programs, initiatives, and academic requirements

* Providing translators, whenever feasible, to facilitate face-to-face communication between families and the school

* Communicating with local agencies regarding refugee/immigrant issues

* Creating meaningful partnerships

Related Services

Speech-Language Pathology Program

Service Providers: Services are provided by itinerant and school based certified Teachers of the Speech and Hearing Handicapped or Teachers of the Speech and Language Disabled.

Services/Models: Speech-Language services are provided in accordance with IEP mandates. Services can be delivered in any combination of the following; push-in to the general education classroom, pull-out to a separate therapy room, group or individual sessions, two to five times per week for a minimum of thirty minutes sessions

Communication Environment Class: Specialized service models for kindergarten students whose underlying areas of need are severe speech-language disorders with weak cognitive skills. The focus of the class is speech and language development in support of the academic program. The program is very intense in its services and has two components.

15:1 CEC: Students are identified as speech impaired and are placed in a self-contained classroom staffed with a Speech Pathologist and a Special Education teacher.
General Education class: Students are classified as Speech Impaired and placed in a general education class staffed with a Speech Pathologist and a general education kindergarten teacher. 

Scope of Practice: Speech-language pathology includes: providing screening, identification, assessment, diagnosis, treatment, intervention and follow-up services for disorders of:

Speech, articulation, fluency, voice (including respiration, phonation, and resonance)
Language (involving the parameters of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, and including disorders of receptive and expressive communication in oral, written, graphic and manual modalities)

Oral, pharyngeal, cervical esophageal and related functions. (e.g., dysphagia, including disorders of swallowing and oral function for feeding, orofacial and myofunctional disorders)
Cognitive aspects of communication (including communication disability and other functional disabilities associated with cognitive impairment)

Social aspects of communication (including challenging behavior, ineffective social skills, lack of communication opportunities)

Audiology Program

A licensed audiologist provides evaluations of hearing acuity and central auditory processing with recommendations for services, modifications and equipment.

Deaf/Hearing Impaired Program

Service Providers: Services are provided by itinerant and school based certified Teachers of the Deaf/Hearing Impaired.

Service Models: Hearing services are provided in accordance with IEP mandates. Services can be delivered in any combination of the following: push-in to the general education classroom, pull-out to a separate location, group or individual sessions, two to five times per week or on a consult basis.

Scope of Practice: Teachers of the Deaf/Hearing Impaired provide screening, identification, assessment, treatment, intervention and follow-up services for disorders of hearing impaired and deafness.

Services: Provide instruction in care and appropriate use of hearing aids; Provide instruction in care and use of auditory trainers; Develop individual programs for students with cochlear implants; Educational interpretation using sign language; Cued Speech; Aural Rehabilitation Therapy; Modification of instructional material; Environmental modifications

This policy will be revisited at least every three years and revised when necessary by the school's pedagogical leadership team and the School Based Management Team. It is widely communicated through our website and our teachers.

IB's Access and Inclusion Policy - for All Stakeholders

Rationale/Purpose

The IB Program at City Honors School strives to ensure that all students are given every opportunity to reach their fullest potential.

City Honors School works collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure that students with disabilities are given access to a Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).

According to the IB's Access and inclusion policy, published November 2018, IB believes that all candidates should be allowed to demonstrate their ability under assessment conditions that are as fair as possible.

The IB Program for students with special education needs meets all state and federal requirements:

• IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Act
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
• ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act

This document is intended to be used as a tool for used communication and to clarify the expectations for creating and maintaining a positive, safe environment for all students at City Honors School.

Special Education Needs Policy Goals

The main goals of this policy are:

• To maintain compliance with the federal and local laws regarding Special Education;
• To promote an inclusive, safe environment for the needs of each student;
• To ensure that the special needs of students are identified early, assessed, and supported appropriately;
• To clarify expectations and roles of City Honors School faculty;

Overview of Eligibility

Students who are in need of additional supports and/or accommodations in order to be successful include students who have met the eligibility requirements to qualify under one of the thirteen categories of disabilities as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Part 200 Regulations of the Commissioner of Education of the State of New York or has been classified as a student with a disability and has supports under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Thirteen Categories of Disabilities

• Autism
• Blindness
• Deafness
• Emotional Disturbance
• Hearing Impairment
• Intellectual Disability
• Multiple Disabilities
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Other Health Impaired
• Specific Learning Disability
• Speech/Language Impairment
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Visual Impairment

Prior to a referral for evaluation for eligibility for special education services and supports, the Buffalo Public Schools (BPS) requires that pre-referral interventions are documented to remediate the student’s performance. Once there has been documented student response to interventions, then a written statement, or referral, asking BPS to evaluate the student is given to the Chairperson to the Committee on Special Education (CSE), evaluations are completed, and a meeting is held, where the student’s eligibility to be classified under one of the thirteen categories is determined. If the student is determined to be eligible, then an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is created and reviewed at least annually.

A 504 plan may be needed when a student does not require the extensive supports of special education services, which requires specially designed instruction, but still needs additional supports to be successful in the general education curriculum. A 504 plan communicates the accommodations needed for students with disabilities to be successful in the general education setting.  When a disability is suspected, a referral to the 504 Review Team will be made, evaluations will be completed (or documentation of an outside diagnosis of a disability), and a meeting will be held to determine eligibility. If the student is eligible then a 504 plan is created and implemented in the general education classroom setting.  

City Honors School Roles and Responsibilities

·      The school’s Guidance Counselors will work with all students to ensure appropriate choices and guidance through their programs

·      The Student Support Team (SST), which consists of a full time School Psychologist, Social Worker, and Chairperson, will work collaboratively with teachers and students on an individual basis to meet the needs of all students.

·      The SST will support students and staff during student crises, and ensures that Response to Intervention (RtI) procedures are properly followed and implemented consistently and with fidelity.

·      The school’s Committee on Special Education (CSE) Chairperson will work collaboratively with the IB MYP or DP Coordinator to ensure that the program is in compliance with federal, state, and local laws regarding students with special educational needs.

·      The CSE Chairperson will provide the teachers with all IEP’S and 504 plan documentation and ensure proper implementation.

·      The IB DP or MYP Coordinator will apply to the IB for students’ accommodations.

·      City Honors School will provide professional development opportunities to ensure that staff is able to fully support students in a manner that is appropriate for each student.

Differentiated Support

City Honors School implements a multi-tiered system of supports, or Response to Intervention (RtI), for students who are in need of additional supports and accommodations in order to be successful in the general education curriculum

RtI is a model for assisting students with academic difficulties and identifying students with special needs according to IDEA. The purpose of RtI is to support students and to decrease the number of students being incorrectly identified as students who need special education services and/or who are incorrectly identified and classified with a disability. It consists of a multi-tier support system that provides interventions to assist students in building deficient skills, while systematically documenting the student’s response to the interventions. This process of determining whether a student’s academic deficits are due to the absence of an appropriate education and the student’s response to the interventions put in place to help close the gap.

When a student is showing a deficit in the classroom, the teacher must use Tier 1 Interventions to meet the needs of the child. The idea is to build the skills of the entire group. If it is determined that the student has had poor response to Tier 1 interventions and the instructional setting is not preventing satisfactory academic achievement then the student would receive Tier 2 interventions, which are individually tailored interventions that are layered in addition to the Tier 1 interventions, and should not replace any instruction. They should be systemic, directed instruction to assist with any deficits for individual students.

If it is determined that the student has had poor response to both Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions and the instructional setting is not preventing satisfactory academic achievement then the student would receive Tier 3 interventions that are highly specialized in addition to the other interventions.    

Students enrolled in the IB Program work towards achieving the assessment objectives as described in each of the subject guides. Although the objectives of each subject guide cannot be changed, special accommodations will be made for students who show a documented need for them. Additionally, if a student is in need of testing accommodations, they can be made if the student meets the criteria as stated by the International Baccalaureate Organization.

Assessment Accommodations

City Honors School’s IB DP or MYP Coordinator will use IB's system for the submittal of arrangements for inclusive assessments for any student who requires special testing arrangements which need prior approval. The application will state the frequency and duration of any current testing accommodations which are based on any current conditions or disabilities that affect the student’s performance. Any current evaluations or documents that are available which show a need for specific testing accommodations are provided to IB with the submission. Educational evidence will also be provided to show that the requested accommodation is the typical way that the student is able to participate effectively and successfully in the activity or test.

Some accommodations, which do not require the prior approval of IB, may be provided at the discretion of City Honors School and the IB MYP or DP Coordinator and/or administration team if there is perceived need or benefit to candidates. Some of these accommodations may include: separate location, special seating, additional time, and special medical arrangements.

Specific procedures for requesting candidate special arrangements are explained in IB's document, "Access and inclusion policy" published in November 2018.

Policy Use and Review

This policy is a working document that guides our school. It will be reviewed and revised at least every three years, or as necessary, by an administrator, IB coordinators, SBMT members, and the head of the school's Student Support Team (SST).

Terms and Definitions

Accommodation – Physical or environmental changes to help a student gain access to the general education curriculum without modifying instruction or curriculum.

Consent – Parents are made fully aware, in their native language, and is voluntarily agreeing to the activity for which consent is being sought.

Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) – Every school-aged child is entitled to a public education that is appropriate for him/her and is at no cost to the family or student. 

General Education Curriculum – Curriculum that is taught to students without disabilities.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) – Program that is written, planned, and reviewed in accordance to the Part 200 regulations of the Commissioner of Education of the State of New York, and is specific to the needs of each individual child who is classified as a student with one of the thirteen disabilities. 

Intervention – a research-based method of supporting a student that targets a specific deficit and is implemented and documented with fidelity and consistency.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) – means that students are placed in the general education setting whenever possible and only removed when the nature or severity of the disability is such that even with the use of supplementary aids and services, education cannot be satisfactorily achieved. 

Multi-Tiered System of Supports – see Response to Intervention (RtI)

Referral – Written request for an evaluation to determine eligibility

Specially Designed Instruction – Adapting the instruction to meet the needs of the students, while also ensuring access to the general education curriculum, so that the students can meet the expectations of all students.

504 Plan – Plan that is written, planned, and reviewed in accordance to the Rehabilitation Act for an individual with a physical or mental disability that affects one or more major life activities.

Admission to City Honors School

All applicants must live in the City of Buffalo at the time they apply to attend City Honors School. They must continue to reside in Buffalo the entirety of their time in attendance at the school.

Students are admitted in Grades 5 - 9. Due to the accelerated graduation requirements of City Honors School, no admission takes place after Grade 9.

Admission is based on student achievement on a standardized cognitive ability assessment, and grades and attendance from the school year previous to applying for admission.

Administration of the cognitive ability assessment is available in all Buffalo Public Schools and several Saturday mornings in October and November, the year before a student would be admitted.

All admission decisions take place at the district level. The only involvement City Honors administration and faculty have in the process is to assist with the administration of the cognitive ability assessment and provide a presentation about City Honors at each assessment session.

IB Middle Years Program

All students who attend City Honors School are automatically a part of the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) and all are expected to complete the culminating activity of the MYP in Grade 10. Variances are sometimes allowed in very specific and narrow circumstances.

IB Diploma Program

All students in Grades 11 and 12 are involved in the IB Diploma Program (DP) because all students are required to enroll and complete IB DP English Language A: Literature HL during their last two years at City Honors.

During Grade 10, all students are given the opportunity to decide whether they want to be Course Candidates or Diploma Candidates. Admission is open access and students are only required to submit a one-page, double-sided short answer application that gauges interest by the due date set for a given year. Students who apply and who have poor/failing grades are counseled by his/her school counselor and the IB DP coordinator to make sure he/she understands what lies ahead. If a student still wants to pursue the program, they are allowed to do so.