We thank the New York City Council’s Committee on Education for holding this oversight hearing on the New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) Portrait of a Graduate (POG), part of the broader NY Inspires Initiative. INCLUDEnyc is the leading source of training and information for young people ages 0-26 with known or suspected disabilities, their parents, and the professionals who support them. For over 43 years, we have helped New York City families navigate the complex special education and support systems.
While we are hopeful about the State’s efforts to change how students are assessed to graduate and the Board of Regents’ recent vote to move forward with eliminating Regents exams from graduation requirements, we are equally concerned with how the New York City Public School (NYCPS) system will move away from standardized graduation tests and from a three-diploma option to one in the coming years, and how schools will equitably evaluate students for graduation, particularly for students with disabilities.
Over the next year, the city must engage school professionals with experience and knowledge of performance-based assessments for students receiving special education services, including students with severe disabilities who attend District 75 programs, do not take standardized tests, and are assessed through alternative assessments. The city must also examine existing systemic barriers that prevent schools from adequately supporting students in exiting high school now with the current graduation requirements. They need to study where and how students have successfully earned a non-diploma credential, such as the Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Commencement Credential, or not, because this credential prepares students with and without disabilities for entry-level work readiness.
In addition, the city must develop an accessible, robust communication plan in the coming month for administrators, teachers, school and guidance counselors, and families in multiple languages that breaks down the changes in real time and proactively provides timelines. This will help students and families make timely, informed decisions. They must also build in additional funding for Transition Team Leaders and Transition Linkage Coordinators in District 75 programs. This is non-negotiable if the city truly wants to be inclusive. They must also provide guidance to schools as soon as possible, as close to New York State’s timeline as possible, by Summer 2027.
Thank you for taking the time to consider these important matters. We look forward to partnering with you to improve equity and access for all students with disabilities in New York City.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Podvesker
Director of Disability and Education Policy
INCLUDEnyc