Q&A
Addressing disproportionate suspension rates for students with disabilities
3:10:59
ยท
50 sec
Council Member Rita Joseph raises concerns about the disproportionate suspension rates for students with disabilities, citing that 43% of superintendent suspensions in the 2023-2024 school year went to students with disabilities, who make up only 22% of the population. DOE representatives acknowledge the issue and outline some initial steps to address it.
- DOE recognizes the need for students to feel connected to their schools
- Programs like My Brother's Keeper and My Sister's Keeper are being implemented
- Restorative justice practices are being emphasized
- DOE is working with districts to review their disproportionality data
- The state is partnering with DOE in this work
Rita Joseph
3:10:59
Earlier we talked about equity, and the data that I look at for the school year of 2023, 2024, 43% of superintendent suspensions went to students with disability, while they make up 22% of the population.
3:11:13
What supports are needed for New York City public schools to address this disparity?
Christina Foti
3:11:18
Yeah.
3:11:18
So feel students absolutely have to feel connected to their schools, and there are a number of programs that we're implementing to make sure that, students do feel, connected to schools.
3:11:27
My Brother's Keeper and My Sister's Keeper are critical restorative justice.
3:11:32
But we also need to make sure that this disproportionality is highlighted via the data.
3:11:37
So we're working with our districts to review their disproportionality data.
3:11:41
The state is also a partner in this work, and, I think, Suzanne, you wanna talk a little bit about
Althea Stevens
3:11:49
the Panorama survey and what we're
Christina Foti
3:11:49
knowing about student engagement.