Education

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New York City Public Schools

The mission of New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) is to ensure that each student graduates on a pathway to a rewarding career and long-term economic security, equipped to be a positive force for change. With a total student population of approximately 900,000, NYCPS is the largest school system in the country. Promoting student success requires collaboration across intra-agency divisions and offices to support more than 1,800 schools and programs.

Boldly Reimagining Special Education – the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning

In December 2022, former Chancellor David Banks announced plans to form a Special Education Advisory Council to help reimagine special education in New York City. Launched in early 2023, the council serves in an ongoing advisory capacity, developing recommendations for upcoming initiatives to improve special education and collecting information to inform planning. The first year of the council’s work culminated in the release of a report identifying key objectives for improving special education, including prioritizing investments in public school programs close to students’ homes that promote inclusion and result in strong student outcomes such as by investing in specialized programs designed to serve students with autism, dyslexia, and emotional disabilities. 

In 2023, New York City Local Law 18 was passed with the goal of supporting students with disabilities as they transition from high school to higher education. The law mandates the city to work with relevant agencies to create and implement a system that enables the electronic sharing of information about students' special education services between NYCPS and higher education institutions, such as colleges and universities. Its aim is to help students with disabilities access the support and accommodations they need to succeed in higher education. In collaboration with MOPD, NYCPS launched a resulting program that facilitates the sharing of educational documents required to determine eligibility for disability support at institution of higher education. For more information, please visit the Local Law 18 Annual Reports.

In 2024, NYCPS announced the creation of the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning (DIAL), which is led by Deputy Chancellor Christina Foti and oversees the Special Education Office and the Office of Multilingual Learners. This new division builds holistic educational experiences for students who are multilingual learners and/or students with disabilities. DIAL embodies NYCPS’s commitment to recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the diverse needs of all students, ensuring their full access to instruction, learning, and school communities.

Also in 2024, DIAL created InclusiveSchoolsNYC, an initiative active in over 90 schools citywide that offers community events, programming, resources, including a network of Disability Affinity, Disability Pride, and Inclusion Clubs to celebrate the identities of students with disabilities and support a culture of belonging in schools. For example, in partnership with the Neurodiversity Alliance, this initiative provides neurodivergent students access to advising, leadership development, and peer support through the Neurodiversity Alliance’s innovative club model.

InclusiveSchoolsNYC also organizes the annual Disability Pride Visual Arts Contest, which celebrates people with disabilities in their fight for equity and equal access, opportunity, and inclusion through student artwork, and the annual Disability Inclusion Summit where students with and without disabilities celebrate diverse disability identities, learn the history of the disability rights movement and the future of adaptive and universal design, build inclusive school communities, and learn from one another.

To advance disability inclusion and awareness through the power of film, DIAL formed a partnership with the ReelAbilities Film Festival, the largest festival in the United States dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. This collaboration is designed to integrate disability-related content into the educational experience of students across all grade levels (Kindergarten through 12). Through this partnership, every NYCPS educator will have unlimited access to a wide array of films created by and for individuals with disabilities.

DIAL also expanded NYCPS’s partnership with Special Olympics New York , ensuring access to sports programming at all District 75 schools, giving more than 1,700 students with disabilities access to participate in track and field, volleyball, and basketball during their school day, as well as after-school unified (students with and without disabilities) basketball and bocce leagues.

Led by a former NYCPS student who communicates using American Sign Language (ASL), DIAL hosted two free Deaf Community family engagement workshops during the 2024-2025 school year for families of students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing as they navigate their children's individualized education programs (IEPs), and provided practical strategies, resources, and tools to support language access and communication in the home, including live webinars with ASL interpretation that are posted on YouTube .

The City University of New York (CUNY)

The City University of New York (CUNY) is a public higher educational complex that spans the five boroughs and encompasses 11 senior colleges, seven community colleges, the William E. Macaulay Honors College, the CUNY School of Medicine, the Graduate School and University Center, the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, the CUNY School of Law, the CUNY School of Professional Studies, the CUNY School of Public Health and Health Policy, and the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. The CUNY Board is composed of 17 Trustees; ten appointed by the Governor of the State of New York and five by the New York City Mayor, both with State Senate advice and consent. One ex-officio Trustee is the chair of the University Student Senate. One ex-officio, non-voting Trustee is the chair of the University Faculty Senate. The Chair and the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor.

CUNY is committed to creating a world-class academic environment that is inclusive and accessible to all students. This commitment is regulated by the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504, and grounded in Universal Design principles, which emphasize the removal of barriers and the creation of a supportive educational experience. With nearly 11,700 students registered with Disabilities Services Offices (DSOs) across CUNY's 26 campuses, it is essential to address the diverse needs of this underrepresented population.

CUNY has implemented several key university-wide initiatives designed to improve support for students with disabilities by facilitating access, fostering inclusion and increasing awareness through outreach, programming, and capacity building.

Promoting Access to College and Beyond

CUNY emphasizes strong collaboration with local high schools to support students with disabilities. This includes organizing campus tours to introduce students to available resources and guiding them through the accommodation process for a smoother transition into college life. CUNY also collaborates internally with its existing high school mentorship office, K-16 Initiatives.

Programming for Students

Programming for students includes the following:

• Project REACH
  Project REACH focuses on supporting students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Key Areas include educating faculty and staff on the unique challenges faced by students with ASD, as well as creating an inclusive environment for academic and social success. Project REACH campuses currently include: Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC); Brooklyn College; College of Staten Island (CSI); Hunter College and Kingsborough Community College (KCC).
• CUNY Unlimited
  CUNY Unlimited is a non-credit credential initiative aimed at expanding access to higher education for students with intellectual disabilities. Components include engagement in courses alongside peers, employment skills development through internships, and self-advocacy training. CUNY Unlimited campuses currently include BMCC, CSI, Hostos Community College, KCC, Queens College and Queensborough Community College (QCC).
• CUNY LEADS
  CUNY LEADS (Linking Employment, Academics and Disability Services) is a program aimed at preparing undergraduate students with disabilities for academic and career success. Resources include career guidance and academic support, resume building and interview preparation, internship and job placement opportunities. The program aspires to become a national model for improving employment outcomes.

Promoting Student Engagement, Socially and Civically

Initiatives that promote student engagement include the following:

• Adaptive Sports
  CUNY's Adaptive Sports initiative aims to create equal opportunities for all athletes. The university launched a wheelchair basketball team in 2022 and plans to expand its offerings to include tennis, swimming, and track & field, thereby fostering a diverse athletic community.
• CUNY Votes
  All CUNY campus disability services offices serve as nonpartisan voter registration locations for CUNY Votes. Members of the CUNY community can obtain and complete New York voter registration forms at these offices. Additionally, all CUNY students with disabilities can acquire a voter registration form during their respective campus disability student orientations.

The university-wide student group, the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities (CCSD), actively participates in nonpartisan voter registration and education activities. In September 2024, CCSD helped organize a National Disability Voting Rights Week ceremony featuring New York State Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright, who was then Chair of the State Assembly Committee on People with Disabilities.

CUNY System Capacity Building

Some ways in which CUNY has increased its capacity to serve students with disabilities include the following:

• CUNY Disability Services Apprenticeship Program (DSAP)
  CUNY Disability Services Apprenticeship Program (DSAP) is a two-semester initiative, launched in Spring 2025, designed to build a strong talent pipeline of future Disability Services Professionals across CUNY campuses. Created in response to campus-identified staffing gaps and the need for more formalized training, DSAP selects passionate individuals, primarily students and alumni, interested in pursuing careers in Disability Services and positions them on host campuses for hands-on experience. Trainees engage in a mix of in-person activities, including intake shadowing, exam proctoring, and front desk support, as well as virtual learning through weekly classes and a structured curriculum. The program culminates in each trainee developing a final project aimed at enhancing service delivery and student inclusion.
• Staffing Enhancements
  In 2025, CUNY appointed two Accessibility Technology Managers to lead initiatives aimed at enhancing accessibility services across the university. Their roles include addressing accessibility challenges, ensuring compliance with standards, evaluating IT platforms, and training faculty and staff.
• Assistive technology training and device distribution program

CUNY continues to expand access to students, faculty, and staff by piloting and purchasing assistive technology and devices, along with virtual and in-person training. Assistive devices and technology for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and individuals with disabilities promote student independence and equitable options to access academic and vocational services, as well as campus and CUNY-wide events. Some piloted and purchased programs include SignGlasses, UbiDuo, Phonak, Vispero (JAWS/ZoomText/Fusion) for distribution throughout the campuses, Glean, Grammarly, Otter.ai, and 3D printers, as well as CCTVs with magnification and screen-reading capabilities. CUNY continues to demonstrate a commitment to enhancing access for students with disabilities across multiple modalities.

CUNY Systems and Process Improvements

Relevant CUNY systems and process improvements include:

• Implementation of CUNY Accommodate
  Launched in spring 2025, CUNY Accommodate is an innovative platform that streamlines the accommodation process across all campuses. Features include: user-friendly, mobile-friendly interface for accommodation requests; appointment scheduling with DSO staff; and access to essential resources, including extended exam times and assistive technology.  

This platform ensures accommodation plans are transferable between campuses, enhancing student mobility.

• Accessibility Concern Portal Redesigned
  The newly redesigned Student Concern Portal serves as a centralized platform for students to report concerns related to digital accessibility. Managed by the Accessibility Review & Response Team (ARRT), it facilitates prompt resolution of issues in collaboration with campus personnel.

Promoting Disability Culture at CUNY and in the City

CUNY hosts various annual events and collaborates with partners to raise disability awareness and foster inclusion:  

• CUNY Neurodiversity Conference
• CUNY Accessibility Conference  
• CUNY ADA BBQ
• CUNY Student Disability Leadership Retreat  
• CUNY Assistive Technology Council Lunch & Learn
• CUNY Disability Programs Deaf and Hard of Hearing Workshop Series
• CUNY LEADS: Empowering Inclusion: Employers on Disability Workforce Success
• CUNY Disability Programs and CUNY Coalition of Students with Disabilities (CCSD) collaboration with MTA Accessibility Projects
• NYC Disability Pride Parade

These events promote knowledge sharing and community building among students, staff, and advocates.

 

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