Thu Sep 12 00:22:00 UTC 2024: ## Staten Island Elected Officials Demand Expedited Special Education Services for Private School Students
STATEN ISLAND, NY – Elected officials on Staten Island are demanding the city’s Department of Education (DOE) swiftly restore special education services to students in private and Catholic schools who missed a June 1 deadline for requesting services. The deadline, which was not strictly enforced in previous years, left hundreds of Staten Island students without crucial support, including occupational, speech, and physical therapies.
The elected officials, including Borough President Vito Fossella, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, and several city council members and state senators, sent a letter to Schools Chancellor David Banks urging him to utilize existing Individualized Education Services Program (IESP) files to expedite the return of these services. They argue that requiring reevaluations will cause further delays and potentially impact thousands of students on Staten Island.
“We are requesting that existing IEP/IESP files be used to quickly return these students to their services,” the letter reads. “What should hopefully be fixed within a few weeks could become months should evaluations need to take place.”
The DOE has acknowledged the issue and stated they are tracking inquiries from families who missed the deadline. However, they maintain that they are required by law to first arrange services for families who submitted requests by the deadline.
The elected officials are also calling for the city to provide clear and timely notification about the deadline to avoid a similar situation in future school years.
“If this long-standing deadline will now be enforced going forward, parents/guardians are required to receive ample notification as per the New York State IESP law,” the letter states.
The situation has left many parents frustrated and worried about the potential impact on their children’s education. The elected officials are hopeful that their call for action will lead to a swift resolution and ensure all students receive the special education services they need.
First Piper 