Res. No. 773 Title Resolution demanding that the City and State carefully consider the serious adverse impact on children with mental, developmental and physical disabilities prior to the reorganization and plan implementation of New York City School District No. 75 programs, eliminating temporary teacher licensing for special education instructors, and permitting programs for special education for children with disabilities to be cut. Body By Council Members López, Baez, Barron, Clarke, Foster, Gerson, Jackson, Liu, Martinez, Monserrate, Perkins, Quinn, Recchia, Jr. and Seabrook Whereas, The children of the City of New York's taxpayers, including those with mental, developmental and physical disabilities, deserve a meaningful education and preparation for life; and Whereas, The Mayor's broad reorganization of the Department of Education should offer the City a major step forward in providing significant improvements in meeting the needs of the 161,000 students in the City's public schools who receive special education services, particularly those enrolled in District 75; and Whereas, At this time of reform, careful consideration must be taken with regard to the reorganization of District 75 programs prior to implementation of a plan due to the special needs of the 21,000 youngsters enrolled in these programs, who are often the most impaired with multiple disabilities, including severe emotional disturbance, autism and serious medical vulnerabilities; and Whereas, The needs of special education students require that temporary teacher licensing for special education instructors be continued to avoid destabilizing school children with disabilities due to teacher shortages and significant disparities between the public and private sector educational systems; and Whereas, Destabilization of these very vulnerable school children with multiple disabilities must be avoided so that services to special education students provided by special education teachers are not jeopardized and the system is able to rely on individuals who are in the process of securing certification; and Whereas, It is necessary to safeguard the legal rights of due process of those affected by a reorganization of District 75 and special education programs, and ensure that a meaningful role is afforded to the parents of children with disabilities, as required under federal law; and Whereas, If such reorganization is implemented without careful consideration of the special needs of these children, it will result in irreparable harm to thousands of children afflicted with mental, developmental and physical disabilities, as well as to their families; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York demands that the City and State carefully consider the serious adverse impact on children with mental, developmental and physical disabilities prior to the reorganization and plan implementation of New York City School District No. 75 programs, eliminating temporary teacher licensing for special education instructors, and permitting programs for special education for children with disabilities to be cut. LS#2143 MFB 3/26/03 |10
13| |10
13|