BILL NUMBER: S1112
SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring funding for
special education services and programs for preschool children with
disabilities to cover full-day joint classroom instruction
 
PURPOSE:
To align federal and state funding for time duration of preschool for
children with developmental disabilities
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 mandates joint instruction of prekindergarten for students who
require special services and students in universal prekindergarten
programs
Section 2 establishes the effective date of the bill
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Education for students with different abilities is best served by inclu-
sive education. However, at institutions attempting to provide inclusive
education, there is currently a major barrier with diverging funding
hours. Currently, the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) federal funding
mandates a 6-hour full-day requirement, while the New York State Educa-
tion Department (NYSED) limits reimbursement for preschool children with
developmental disabilities to 5 hours. This incongruity poses signif-
icant challenges for service providers whose mission is to provide
inclusive education, where best practice is joint instruction for both
groups of students in the same classroom. This bill eliminates the
existing discrepancy in educational time for students receiving special
education services by aligning the educational standards for preschool
children with developmental disabilities with UPK students.
This bill seeks to create a more equitable and inclusive educational
landscape for all children, regardless of their developmental abilities.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S8353 (May) / A9352 (Hunter)
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Subject to appropriations
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately

Statutes affected:
S1112: 4410 education law