NYC Expands Special Education to Preschool

New York City officials announced Tuesday an expansion of five high-demand special education programs, Nest, Horizon, AIMS, Path, and ACES, to preschool classrooms for the first time. Mayor Zohran Mamdani framed the move as a step toward universal childcare, addressing the city’s longstanding inability to provide adequate preschool placements for children with disabilities.

The $67.5 million investment will add 250 seats across 26 schools in 14 local districts. Previous administrations, including that of Eric Adams, made efforts to increase preschool seats for students with disabilities, but gaps remained, potentially hindering early development.

The expansion aims to provide closer access to programs and reduce the number of families who must seek private services or travel long distances. Officials noted that students in these programs, particularly Nest and Horizon, for children with autism, show high school graduation rates around 97%. The city also plans to hire additional staff and strengthen support services to ensure students receive all mandated therapies.