NYC’s Private School Special Education Students Will Begin Receiving Services They’re Entitled To By Law Once More

A Statement from Borough President Vito Fossella on NYCDOE Restoring Services to Non-Public School Special Education Students

Editor’s note: We first covered this issue several months ago when it was becoming a problem. Before the school year started, NYC sent letters to NYC special needs families enrolled in non-public schools that they would not receive the services to which they are entitled by law. 

Staten Island, NY – Borough President Vito Fossella issued the following statement regarding the New York City Department of Education restoring services to special education students of non-public schools.

“It’s about time.

We are pleased that DOE is returning services for private and Catholic school special education students. It was unacceptable that students had to go without the services they were entitled to and needed for well over half the school year. As soon as we became aware of the situation, we entered conversations with DOE to bring these services back, and we are pleased that our concerns, and those of the parents affected, were finally heard.

It is our hope that this action will restore a sense of normalcy to the families that were affected. With the June 1 deadline in mind for the next school year, we encourage parents to send their letters of intent in a timely manner.”

Banner Image: School children. Image Credit – CDC

BP Vito Fossella

The Office of the Borough President has a responsibility to advocate for the entire Borough of Staten Island and all its residents, and represents the Borough's interests within City government. The Borough President communicates directly with the Mayor and the City Council to emphasize Staten Island’s budget priorities. In addition, the Borough President is responsible for reviewing major land use decisions and proposing sites for city facilities within the Borough. As the chair of the Borough Board, the Borough President leads Staten Island’s City Council delegation and Community Board chairs in the process of reviewing and approving the transfer of public properties to private use. The Borough President’s Office houses the Borough's Topographical Bureau, which maintains the borough’s official maps and assigns street addresses. The Borough President monitors the delivery of city services on Staten Island, and acts as a liaison between residents and city agencies when problems arise to devise solutions. The Borough President is also responsible for appointing one member to the Panel for Educational Policy and one member to the City Planning Commission, as well as some 150 members to Staten Island’s three community boards.