NYC vows special education reform, but is it enough?

It was a rough report for any city to receive: failures at virtually every level of New York City’s special education system, with initial evaluations for special education services often delayed or not happen at all. Furthermore, these systematic failures were not only showing that the city wasn’t taking care of some of its most vulnerable, but wasn’t following through on its larger commitment for excellence.

In response, the city said hundreds of new staff, including additional psychologists and lawyers, would be hired to help conduct evaluations and to handle disputes about services. They also promised to beef up preschool special education programs as well. Chancellor Richard Carranza wrote that they are “fully committed to the action steps and timelines outlined…and we are focused on working toward full compliance in every area.”

Reviewing the stats, there are more than 224,000 students with disabilities in the city’s public schools, a massive number that would put it in the 10 largest school systems in the country. Almost a quarter of which, don’t receive all of their required services, with thousands of students not receiving any mandated services whatsoever, according to this searing report.

Compliance isn’t actually what’s required. Competence and competitiveness is, neither seem to be on the city’s radar.

Read more at ChalkBeat.