PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Maggie Sanchez, Public Advocate Appointee of Citywide Council on Special Education
6:05:07
ยท
3 min
Maggie Sanchez, speaking in her personal capacity, addresses the challenges faced by families of students with disabilities in the NYC public school system. She criticizes the barriers in due process complaints and emphasizes the need for better compensation for education professionals to reduce these complaints.
- Highlights the low rates paid by NYC public schools for services, pushing families to request enhanced rates
- Suggests including providers in the conversation to understand why their rates are higher than what DOE pays
- Emphasizes that budget cuts to education and low pay for teachers and service providers are root causes of the problems in special education services
Maggie Sanchez
6:05:07
Hi.
6:05:08
My name is Maggie Sanchez, public advocate appointee on the citywide council on special education.
6:05:14
I'm speaking here in my personal capacity.
6:05:18
By making due process complaints even more difficult for, for families and by adding even more barriers and capping the rates of the services that that need to be provided, through the through the, impartial hearing process or that are owed at the same time that New York City Public Schools is not providing all of the services that every child, a special education student need and don't have a certified, education teacher special education teacher in some subjects.
Rita Joseph
6:05:52
I don't know.
6:05:53
Disabilities.
Maggie Sanchez
6:05:54
Then that is when, that that is why many families of students with disabilities are having to deal with that is what, families of students with disabilities are having to deal with.
6:06:05
These, unprecedented stonewalls in order for interventions and services that their children need are met.
6:06:14
In order to reduce due process complaints, paras, teachers, and related service providers need to be paid equitably when collect when, during collective, bargaining, and for pertaining contracts, are negotiated.
6:06:30
During during when, pertaining contracts are negotiated, as well as not add budget cuts to education every year or so, and instead add investments into the education system.
6:06:43
By doing that, teachers, providers, and paraprofessionals will be able to will be able to stay in their positions and with investments into education and the fiscal year budgets rather than, continuous cuts, more schools will be able to meet the needs of all students.
6:07:01
Something else that seems to be missing is that New York City public school rates that are paid via p force for sets is on the very low scale, and many providers do not take it, especially if they specialize in particular instruction programs, that students need.
6:07:20
That's the reason why families are pushed to request enhanced rates.
6:07:24
Providers should be part of the conversation so the council can hear from them and and why their rates are higher than what the DOE pays, which is the DOE rates are paid very low.
6:07:37
For example, as you may have already known, OTs and PTs pay was allegedly shortchanged as comp as compared to the the related service counterparts.
6:07:49
So the root of the problem that has consistently come from that that's the root of the problem that has consistently come from New York City, administration.
6:07:59
That should be the focus in these conversations.
6:08:03
I think a lot of the reason why families of students with disabilities are pushed to exercise their due process rights.
Rita Joseph
6:08:08
Thank you
Lucas Healy
6:08:08
for your testimony.
6:08:09
Time has expired.
Maggie Sanchez
6:08:10
Students in some public school programs don't receive the level of instruction and all the related services that they need as the as per present levels of performance.
6:08:19
Thank you.