Int 0853-2026

Int. No. 853-A By Council Members Zhuang, Morano, Banks, Brooks-Powers, Dinowitz, Wong, Epstein, Ung, Louis, Gutiérrez, Cabán, Maloney, Schulman, Brewer, Hanif, Hankerson, Santosuosso, Narcisse, Riley and Hanks A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring a study on how social and economic factors affect access to special education programs and services Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. Subdivision a of section 21-955 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new definition of “access” in alphabetical order to read as follows: Access. The term “access” means the timely and equitable ability to identify students with a disability and preschool students with a disability, and to obtain special education services for such students. § 2. Subdivisions j and k of section 21-955 of the administrative code of the city of New York are redesignated as subdivisions k and l, respectively. § 3. Section 21-955 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision j to read as follows: j. No later than November 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the chancellor shall submit to the speaker of the council and post on the department’s website a report describing the impacts of social and economic factors on access to the special education services, related services, special education itinerant services, services pursuant to service recommendations, integrated special class programs, initial evaluations, reevaluations, three-year reevaluations, and services related to individualized education programs, required to be reported pursuant to subdivisions b, e, f and g of this section. Such description shall include: 1. An examination of the impacts of the following factors on access to such services in the city: (a) Geographic location of a student’s residence, including analysis by borough and community school district; (b) The availability, capacity, and geographic location of special education programs and providers, including analysis by borough and community school district; (c) Home language; and (d) Household income, if known; and 2. A description of programs or initiatives in place during the reporting year that serve, in whole or in part, to mitigate the impact, if any, of social and economic factors on access to such special education services, related services, special education itinerant services, services pursuant to service recommendations, integrated special class programs, initial evaluations, reevaluations, three-year reevaluations, and services related to individualized education programs, and recommendations to address any identified barriers to access. § 4. This local law takes effect immediately. AC LS #21885 10/14/2026 4:05 PM