Senator Eric Adams joined Assemblyman David Weprin and Assemblyman Jim Brennan at a Press Conference with UNYEIP and parents

Senator Eric Adams joined Assemblyman David Weprin and Assemblyman Jim Brennan at a Press Conference with UNYEIP, Services for Pre-School Special Needs Children Being Denied by NYC DOE

Senator Eric Adams, Assemblyman David I. Weprin, Assemblyman Jim Brennan, and were proud to stand alongside Leslie Grubler, founding director of UNYEIP, to protest the New York City Department of Education’s Committee on Pre-School Special Education’s decision to abruptly suspend critical services for pre-school special needs children in New York City without appropriate notice to parents or providers.

Over the summer, the Committee on Pre-School Special Education (CPSE) signed contracts with large agencies to provide these specialized services to all Pre-K children and refused to honor all prior agreements/contracts arranged by parents. This is a tremendous burden on a population that is already stressed by difficult circumstances. This sudden change in CPSE policy goes against a long understood process that allows parents to choose the providers that will work with their vulnerable children. It also means these children are currently not receiving services and losing out on crucial time in the classroom.

“I am proud to stand in partnership with my colleagues in government and Leslie Grubler, Founding Director of UNYEIP, to advocate for our most vulnerable constituents – those with special needs and their families,” said State Senator Eric Adams. “The NYCDOE's Committee on Pre-School Special Education's decision to suspend critical services without providing proper notification to parents clearly shows a disconnect between NYCDOE and the students who are in most need of their services.  I will work and fight relentlessly until the services are fully restored."  

“I intend to fight this change in policy and will not back down until an agreement can be reached that is amendable to parents,” said Assemblyman David I. Weprin. “We will not allow the DOE to make unilateral decisions that so clearly endanger the well-being of our children and their right to equitable educational opportunities. This is not about dollars and cents. This is about doing what is right by our youngest citizens.”

“The timing and silence with which these changes were made indicate how seriously mistaken they are. The DOE should continue to permit children to receive services from their existing providers until adequate time, notice, and provision for need and hardship are thoughtfully accommodated,” said State Assemblyman Jim Brennan.

To date, UNYEIP has gathered more than 3,000 signatures on a petition that can be found at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/264/013/575/nyc-doe-undermining-the-care-of-children-with-special-needs/ urging the NYCDOE to reverse this change in policy and return this choice to parents and families.