Special Education in New York City

Families in New York City face very specific challenges when advocating for their child’s special education needs. Because of the number of students served in the New York City special education system, the process for obtaining appropriate special education services and filing for an impartial hearing may be different than in other parts of New York State.

New York City’s special education structure, including the staff and administrative hierarchy, may be unfamiliar to parents who have dealt with school systems elsewhere in the state. Procedures and policies differ, too, including the manner of dealing with due process requests. Even the terminology used in New York City special education documents may be unlike that found across the state.

There is a special “District 75” established in New York City for children whose needs cannot be met in community schools. When public schools cannot provide certain special education services for your child, you can seek reimbursement for private school tuition. These cases may be referred to as “Connors” or “Carter” cases, and a family can especially benefit from an attorney’s advice while working through one.

Our attorneys can assist families with every aspect of special education in New York City, including due process issues, school disciplinary matters, development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP), transition planning, Committee on Special Education (CSE) meetings, Section 504 accommodation advocacy and SAT/ACT accommodation advocacy. Our firm only represents students and their families, not school districts. Our approach balances staunch advocacy for our clients’ rights with building the relationships that help us create collaborative solutions with school system officials.

Our attorneys know the New York City special education system inside and out, and we know how to help you obtain the services your child needs. We take pride in empowering families and in focusing on the individual needs of each special education student and client.