Q&A
New preschool special education classes and funding
2:35:18
ยท
4 min
Council Member Rita Joseph inquired about new preschool special education classes and funding. DOE representatives provided the following information:
- The adopted budget included $55 million to open new preschool special education classes
- As of Monday, 360 students were waiting for self-contained classes and 90 for integrated classes
- The DOE opened 456 seats initially and is working to open 284 more
- In total, they plan to create 730 seats: 124 integrated and 616 self-contained
- Two classes have already opened in Queens
- The DOE hopes to open most classes by the end of February
- The main barrier to opening classes is finding certified special education early childhood teachers
Additional points:
- The DOE is focused on hiring and spending the allocated funds
- They may slightly increase the number of seats but will max out the $55 million funding
- The timeline for placing students varies, but they aim to find placement within 30 days of the IEP meeting
- 94% of students (over 11,000) have been placed to date
Rita Joseph
2:35:18
So we can't discuss that.
2:35:19
Okay.
2:35:22
So in the adopted budget, included 55,000,000 to open new preschool education classes in New York City public schools.
2:35:28
However, with still children waiting for seats.
2:35:31
We talked about that in preschool special education classes they need.
2:35:35
We talked about the 450 students.
2:35:38
Can you, walk us through the process?
2:35:40
Can you confirm the number?
2:35:42
It is 450 students that are still waiting for seats.
Jessica Wallenstein
2:35:46
So as of Monday, our our data system showed 360 waiting for self contained and 90 waiting for integrated.
2:35:54
It changes daily.
2:35:55
So it might be different now.
2:35:57
You know, our our CPSC's are working to find those seats.
2:36:00
Families are, you know, touring and accepting.
2:36:02
And then, of course, new students, become eligible every single day who make it through the process.
Rita Joseph
2:36:07
When do you see the most increase in students, that is transferring from EI services into our pre in our public schools.
Jessica Wallenstein
2:36:15
For children who are on EI extensions in the fall, they become eligible for preschool special ed services on January 2nd.
2:36:22
So we just experienced our surge in, need, this past month, and we are working as fast as we can, to stand up 284 more seats in addition to the ones we opened in September.
Rita Joseph
2:36:35
So how many students do you have waiting for seats in preschool special education and integrated settings?
Jessica Wallenstein
2:36:40
That's the 90.
Rita Joseph
2:36:41
Okay.
2:36:42
And with the 55,000,000, how many new seats in preschool special education classes have you opened?
2:36:47
How many seats in integrated classes have you opened, and what are the barriers to opening additional classes?
Jessica Wallenstein
2:36:53
So we opened 4.56 in total.
2:36:56
We're working right now to open 284.
2:37:01
The breakdown of integrated.
2:37:02
So, in total, that's 730 seats, a 120 4 of them integrated, 616 self contained.
2:37:10
And the that planning is based on the need that we see.
2:37:14
Our greatest barrier by far right now is finding certified special education early childhood teachers, especially mid year.
2:37:22
Most of those teachers already have jobs, and the last thing we wanna do is pull them away from any program, DOE or contracted.
2:37:29
So we are looking at, you know, new teachers coming through the pipeline for those classes.
Rita Joseph
2:37:33
And when what's the timeline for the 284 students to get into classrooms?
Jessica Wallenstein
2:37:38
So we are opening on a rolling basis.
2:37:40
The second a principal tells us they've hired the staff.
2:37:43
We, you know, notify our CPSCs and they begin placing students.
2:37:47
So to date, two classes have opened in Queens, of those 284, and our hope is that most will open, you know, by the end of February.
Rita Joseph
2:37:56
How many additional seats do you anticipate to open in special education preschool special education classes?
Jessica Wallenstein
2:38:03
That's the 284.
Rita Joseph
2:38:04
That's the 284?
2:38:06
Yep.
2:38:07
And how many additional seats?
2:38:09
That'll be it?
2:38:10
For the 450, you're opening
Jessica Wallenstein
2:38:11
We maxed out our 55,000,000 around there.
2:38:14
Maybe we can get a couple more, but but that is what we're funded for.
Rita Joseph
2:38:17
So you ran out of money?
Jessica Wallenstein
2:38:19
Well, right now, we are focused on hiring and and spending the dollars that we do have.
2:38:24
We hope to maybe increase that number a little bit, but we will be maxing out the the the funding for sure.
Rita Joseph
2:38:31
So 45% of preschoolers with IEP more that's more than 14,000 schools, children ended 2020 2023, 2024 still waiting for the mandated class or at least one of their service types to begin.
2:38:44
What's the type of what's the timeline on that?
2:38:46
Usually I just wanna hear what the timelines are.
2:38:48
How are we gonna get young people, these our youngest learners into their seats to get to make sure that they have the services that they need so they can thrive.
2:38:56
We see what what it means to make sure that students have the services.
2:39:00
When they get older, sometimes they don't need it.
2:39:02
Right?
2:39:02
But for now, they need it to get them to the next phase.
2:39:05
How does that how is that looking?
Jessica Wallenstein
2:39:07
So, you know, we we we aim to find placement for student within compliance timelines.
2:39:13
So, 30 days from their IEP meeting, we were able to do that for many of our students.
2:39:18
We did find placement, for over 11,000 students to date, so 94%.
2:39:23
For the ones that we are still seeking service, and placement, the the timeline varies, and it really depends on, you know, how quickly we're gonna be able to open these new seats and when providers are available.
Rita Joseph
2:39:34
So regarding for funding, how much funding are you requesting for next year?
2:39:38
We did did you put in any new needs?
Jessica Wallenstein
2:39:40
We did, we did submit new needs.
Rita Joseph
2:39:42
How much
Michael Mulgrew
2:39:42
was that?
Jessica Wallenstein
2:39:43
And we're working closely, with with OMB here and and and with council, and we look forward to continuing those conversations through the budgeting process.
Rita Joseph
2:39:51
Do you know how much you wanna you're requesting for?
Althea Stevens
2:39:55
I
Rita Joseph
2:39:55
we already We like numbers.
Jessica Wallenstein
2:39:56
We're working we're working through that.
2:39:58
We're we're not able to share numbers today.