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Q&A
Discrepancies in reported enrollment data for preschoolers with IEPs
0:45:12
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140 sec
Council Member Justin Brannan inquires about discrepancies in reported enrollment numbers for preschoolers with IEPs across various reports. Deputy Chancellor Christina Foti addresses the issue and provides information on current and anticipated enrollment.
- Reported numbers vary from 31,500 to 40,000 preschool students with IEPs
- Deputy Chancellor Foti reports the current number as 28,202 preschoolers with IEPs
- Anticipated enrollment for FY '26 is difficult to predict due to the rolling nature of preschool special education evaluations
- A $55 million baseline investment is expected to provide sufficient seats for the upcoming year
Justin Brannan
0:45:12
Okay.
0:45:14
I'm gonna talk about early childhood education.
0:45:17
So in the mayor's message that accompanied the FY '20 '6 executive budget, the administration provided enrollment data across general education, special ed, and early childhood education.
0:45:27
This data differs from the info that was in the mayor's management report.
0:45:31
So the Committee on Education hearing back in January on special education services, DOE testified that there are 32,000 preschoolers with IEPs.
0:45:43
Similarly, in the prelim FY '25 MMR, it was reported that there were 31,500 preschool students with IEP settings last year.
0:45:52
However, in the mayor's message, it was reported that there are 40,000 preschool students in the special education settings.
0:45:59
Can you explain the discrepancy in these enrollment numbers?
Christina Foti
0:46:11
Good morning.
0:46:12
Christine Foti, Deputy Chancellor overseeing special education and multilingual learners.
0:46:16
I cannot explain the discrepancy.
0:46:21
The number that I have here is 28,202.
0:46:28
But what I will do is certainly go back and look at each of those and and potentially provide a follow-up with where that might have
Albert Tan
0:46:37
gone up.
Justin Brannan
0:46:37
Okay.
0:46:38
So 28,202 preschoolers with IEPs?
Christina Foti
0:46:41
Correct.
Justin Brannan
0:46:42
Okay.
0:46:43
How many preschoolers with IEPs do we anticipate enrolling for FY '26?
Christina Foti
0:46:48
So in in terms of our anticipated enrollment, I do not have the because preschool special education is rolling and we cannot make it's not the typical pipelines where we could look at birth data.
0:47:05
At 2.9 a child is evaluated, is eligible for an evaluation and determination is made.
0:47:12
And so it's not the same as Pre K for All where we can look at, right, it's rolling data.
0:47:17
But what I can say is if we're looking at special education seats in the upcoming year, do expect to have a seat thanks to the $55,000,000 baseline investment.
0:47:26
And thank you Chair Joseph for that.
0:47:28
So we do expect to have seats and enrollment is going to be rolling.