New York City will invest $67.5 million to extend its specialized education programs into Pre-K, the mayor announced at a school event in Inwood, marking the first time the city is formally bringing services designed for students with disabilities to the prekindergarten level.
What the city announced
The announcement, delivered by Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani at P.S. Ellen Lurie, says the funding will support the expansion of existing specialized education models — Nest, Horizon, AIMS, Path and ACES — so that children with autism and other needs can begin receiving tailored services in Pre-K. The move is framed as a step toward the mayor’s broader goal of universal childcare and making early education more inclusive for families whose children hold Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs.
"...making our Pre-K programs accessible and inclusive to all...making Pre-K truly universal means that no family has to go without just because their child needs a little extra help," the mayor said at the event.
Who was present and what it means for families
City leaders at the event included Chancellor Kamar Samuels, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Councilwoman Carmen de la Rosa, State Senator Robert Jackson and Deputy Chancellors Christina Foti and Simone Hawkins. A parent named Erica was also introduced as part of the program’s focus on family needs.
Officials emphasized that the change should reduce the burden on parents who currently travel long distances to obtain specialized services for their preschoolers. By embedding specialized supports into Pre-K programs, families should be able to enroll locally without being turned away because a child has an IEP.
Timing and operational notes
The city said the expansion will begin this fall. The announcement does not include enrollment figures, staffing plans or the detailed operational timeline for how schools will add these services, but it centers on existing models — Nest, Horizon, AIMS, Path and ACES — being extended into the Pre-K grade band.
- Funding: $67.5 million allocated for the expansion.
- Programs to expand: Nest, Horizon, AIMS, Path, ACES.
- Start date: Beginning this fall.
Context and likely consequences
Expanding specialized education into Pre-K aligns early intervention with public Pre-K access, potentially changing when and where children receive evaluations, therapy and classroom supports. Embedding these programs at the Pre-K level can reduce the logistical and financial barriers families face when securing early services, and it signals a citywide policy to treat IEP-carrying students as full participants in universal Pre-K offerings.
Because the announcement names existing specialized program models rather than creating new ones, districts and school leaders will need to adapt staffing, training and classroom placements to fit the earlier age group. Families should watch local school notices and the Department of Education’s enrollment guidance this summer for details on how to request placements and how IEP services will be provided within Pre-K classrooms.
What parents and caregivers should do next
Parents of preschool-age children with IEPs should:
- Check communications from their child’s school or the Department of Education for updates on Pre-K specialized placements and timelines.
- Confirm that their child’s IEP is current and that related services are clearly documented, so school teams can plan for the fall transition.
- Contact their school’s special education office or the district’s parent coordinator if they have questions about local placement options.
The city’s announcement represents a notable shift in how early childhood special education will be delivered within New York City's public Pre-K system. Officials framed the move as an equity measure designed to ensure that having an IEP does not limit access to early public education opportunities.
