We would like to thank the New York City Council’s Committee on Education for holding this important oversight hearing on the City’s FY2027 Preliminary Budget. My name is Lori Podvesker, and I am the Director of Policy at INCLUDEnyc. For over 42years, INCLUDEnyc (formerly known as Resources for Children with Special Needs) has helped hundreds of thousands of NYC families navigate the complex special education service and support systems.
While we commend Mayor Mamdani’s Fiscal Year 2027 Preliminary Budget for baselining funding for preschool special education services and summer programming, and for proposing long-overdue additional funds for the 30,000+ students with disabilities attending District 75 programs. However, the City must also better prioritize dismantling the systemic barriers in place that continue to segregate far too many students with disabilities.
As a result, we call on the City and Council to:
- Baseline funding of $2 million annually, beginning in Fiscal Year 2027 and continuing for three years, to support implementation of two local laws (225 & 244) passed in 2019, strengthening integration planning and initiatives.
- Allocate the $12M needed to maintain the City’s Sensory, Exploration, Education, and Discovery (SEED) program for students with intensive sensory needs.
- Increase funding in the 2025- 2029 Capital Plan for school accessibility by $450M, bringing the total investment to $1.25B.
- Invest $2M to expand travel training to serve more students with disabilities.
Nearly 60,000 students receiving special education services spend the majority of their school days in segregated schools and classrooms, in specialized settings, rather than alongside their general education peers. While many attend traditional schools, a significant number are in restrictive, self-contained, or separate District 75 settings, particularly students with emotional disabilities, an intellectual disability, or autism. The persistent segregation of students with disabilities will continue without adequate resources and new citywide integration initiatives, despite the City’s efforts up to now to advance inclusion.
The City’s investment in travel training is one mechanism among many that supports the independence and agency of students with disabilities by promoting their ability to travel between home and school, internships, and, eventually, post-secondary education or employment. This is also a required skill for them in life after high school. Additionally, allocating more funding for school accessibility could make an estimated 45% of New York City public schools fully accessible by 2030.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. We look forward to working together and partnering with you to improve equity and access for all young people with disabilities in New York City.
Sincerely,
Lori Podvesker
Director of Disability and Education Policy