Inclusive and Accessible Learning
New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) is committed to reimagine special education, prioritize equity and inclusion, and harness the power of technology to support the success of all students. Under the leadership of the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning (DIAL), all students’ strengths and identities will be valued, and NYCPS will continue to build a system that reflects those values and fosters safe and inclusive environments.
Students with Disabilities
The Path program model was designed to support students who require intensive social emotional support to learn in community schools alongside their peers and near their homes.This support is embedded into their school day and includes counseling, regulation skills, work opportunities, internship and employment support, and coaching to sustain employment. Path, like other specialized programs, prioritizes family engagement, inviting families to be true partners on their children’s educational journey.
The Path program was started in elementary school in the 2021-22 school year, as a preventive program and expanded to middle school in the 2023-24 school year with the support of private funding secured by The Fund. There is a need for this inclusive program to expand to high schools; learning from lessons in elementary and middle school, we will adapt to meet the needs of high school students who may have already been separated from peers and received an emotional disability classification. By providing the academic, counseling, and employment supports students require, we will see a reduction in challenging behavior, an increase in academic success and school engagement, and ultimately an increase in student self-efficacy. To achieve this extra level of support, all Path program staff will receive training in crisis management and will be equipped with the tools to support students with work-based learning opportunities through coaching and mentoring support.