Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Takia Tinsley, Parent, on Preschool Special Education Services
11:23:00
ยท
154 sec
Takia Tinsley, a parent from Manhattan, testifies about the urgent need for preschool special education classrooms and services in New York City. She shares her personal struggle in securing appropriate education and therapy for her three-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy, highlighting the systemic issues in the Department of Education's placement process.
- Tinsley's daughter, True Blessing, has been out of school all year due to lack of suitable placement options
- She advocates for adding $70 million to the city budget for preschool special education services and evaluations
- Tinsley also calls for continuing the $55 million that was added this year for preschool special education classes
Takia T.
11:23:00
Hello.
11:23:02
My name is Takia Tinsley.
11:23:05
I live in Manhattan with my two daughters.
11:23:07
I am here today to
Rita Joseph
11:23:09
talk
Takia T.
11:23:09
about I apologize.
11:23:11
I'm here today to talk about the need for sit for the city to provide the preschool special education classrooms and services that young children need.
11:23:20
Thank you for the chance to speak with you and share my story.
11:23:23
My youngest child is named True Blessing.
11:23:25
She is a sweet three year old who has cerebral palsy, a seizure anesthesia disorder.
11:23:30
I knew that because of her disabilities, True Blessing would need a lot of supports to learn, so I worked hard over the summer to make sure he would be ready sorry.
11:23:44
She would be ready to have a successful start to preschool.
11:23:48
I contacted the department of education to have True Blessing evaluated and met with them to create a plan for her education.
11:23:57
I was encouraged when the DOE told me they would place true blessing in a special education classroom with just six students and provide her with special with sorry.
11:24:07
And provide her with speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and vision therapy.
11:24:14
Unfortunately, the school the DOE offered me for TRUE in September was not a good fit.
11:24:19
I had a hard time communicating with the program and disagreed with their plans to deviate from the services recommended by her service plan.
11:24:28
I felt uncomfortable sending my daughter to that school, so I contacted the DOE in at the start of the school year to request a new placement.
11:24:36
However, the DOE has not provided me with any op any other options despite all my efforts to set true blessing up for successful first year of preschool.
11:24:47
She has been out of school all year and has barely received any of the therapies she has a legal right to receive.
11:24:54
I am fortunate to have been able to get true blessings and services this year through her her health insurance, but the therapies are not enough.
11:25:01
It's saddened me to know that there are many children like my child who spends months waiting for pre preschool special education classroom and services.
11:25:09
Children have a legal rights with the these services, and the city has an obligation to provide them.
11:25:16
That is why I am joining other parents and advocates in asking the city to add 70,000,000 to the city budget for preschool special education services and evaluations and to continue the 55,000,000 that was added for this year only for preschool special education classes.
11:25:34
Thank you.