Chair Dinowitz on special education investment gaps
Dinowitz discusses the $137.5 million for pre-K special education and $86 million for IESP, but notes no expansion of K-12 special education programs like Horizon, AIMS, and NEST despite thousands of applications for few hundred seats.
Between prelim and exec, the plan also includes two major programs for students with disabilities through an additional $137.5 million for pre-K special education
and $86 million for IESP support for students with disabilities in non-public schools.
However, beyond a small expansion of District 75 classes in the prelim plan, this budget does not include any additional special education support for grades K-12.
With a financial plan that hopes to reduce due process case spending by $149 million, it is disappointing to see that there was no expansion of DOE's wildly popular K-12 programs for students with autism.
Horizon, and AIMS.
DOE reports getting thousands of applications for these programs, though they are only able to offer a few hundred seats.
These programs are not only popular but effective, producing high graduation rates.
Yet they remain elusive for many students and families.
The executive plan also does not fill a funding gap for sensory exploration, education, and discovery, or SEED, programming for students with autism.
The DOE must expand support for students with disabilities across the entire school system, including training for teachers in general education classes.
When we set our teachers up for success, they can address the needs of all of our students.
In a due process briefing that the DOE shared with me and the council staff last week, it's clear the DOE is taking these escalating costs seriously.
Not only is due process spending a huge financial burden for the city, it also does not always solve the important underlying goal, which is getting students with disabilities their much-needed services right here in our public school system.
We're glad to see that the DOE is making progress on curbing costs and look forward to further discussing how they will realize the $149 million in savings the executive plan recognizes starting in fiscal 2027.
However, truly tackling due process case costs is going to require greater investment.
In K-12 special education.
It's what's best for the city, and it's what's best for our students.