All right, we'll be starting in a minute.

Good morning, and welcome to today's New York City Council vote for the Committee on Education.

At this time, I would like to remind everyone to silence all electronic devices.

Also at this point going forward, no to one is to approach the days.

Chair Dinowitz, we're ready.

Let's ready to

begin.

Good morning, everyone.

I'm Councilmember Eric Dinowitz, Chair of the Committee on Education.

Uh, I'd like to welcome and thank you to my colleagues who are present.

We have Councilmembers Gutierrez, Lewis Zwang, Delarosa, Wong, uh Shulman, and on Zoom, we have Farias.

Today the committee is voting on two pieces of legislation.

Proposed introduction number 853A, sponsored by Councilmember Susan Zwang, a local law in relation to requiring a study and how social and economic factors affect access to special education programs and services.

And resolution number 650, sponsored by Councilmember Jennifer Gutierrez, opposing the federally proposed rule change titled Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs, and calling on the federal government to prioritize protecting and growing access to high quality education for young children.

New

York City operates the largest special education system in the United States, with approximately 24.2% of K-12 students in the 2025-2026 school year having been classified as having a disability.

Under federal law, students with disabilities are entitled to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment, as guaranteed by the individuals with disabilities education act.

Yet a 2023 New York City Controller report found that the DOE failed to deliver mandated special education services to thousands of students.

Proposed introduction 853A aims to enhance DOE's reporting on the delivery of special education services.

So students and families can better understand the impact of social and economic factors on access to those services.

I as a council member, but more importantly, as a former special education teacher, I am proud to support this bill as a co-sponsor and want to thank Councilmember Zwang for uh moving this bill forward.

Um Resolution 650 opposes the federally proposed rule change titled Reducing Federal Burden for Head Start Programs.

The proposed rule change would remove or weaken many of the standards that currently govern Head Start, allowing larger class sizes, reducing teacher qualification requirements, cutting certain health and family support requirements, and restricting instruction in languages other than English.

Research has found that HeadStar prepares young children for school and over time increases educational attainment.

The proposed changes could lower the quality and safety of early childhood education for thousands of New York children, the thousands that currently benefit from Head Start, especially for vulnerable students, uh, by reducing individual attention, specialized support, and access to bilingual learning.

Thank

you, Councilmember Gutierrez, for this resolution.

Uh I'd like to thank my staff, Theo Solter and Jenna Klaus, and the education committee staff, senior council Alejandra Carvajal, senior policy analyst Chloe Rivera, and policy analyst Katie Selena, as well as principal financial analyst Andrew Lane Lawlist, senior financial analyst Grace Amato, and financial fellow Emily Sosa for preparing today's vote.

I will now turn to the clerk for the role.

Thank

you.

Uh Ben Jacobs, Committee Clerk, uh Committee on Education.

Roll call vote on intro 853A and resolution 650.

Chair Dinowitz.

I vote aye.

Councilmember Lewis.

Aye on all.

Councilmember Brewer.

Councilmember Delarosa.

I don't know.

Councilmember Farias.

Thank

you.

Councilmember Gutierrez.

I

don't know.

Councilmember Joseph.

Councilmember Chrisan.

Councilmember Lee.

Councilmember Shulman.

Aye no.

Councilmember Zwang.

Aye all.

And I want to thank our chair to support my appeal.

Thank

you.

Councilmember Wong.

Aye to intro eight fifty-three and nay on resolution six fifty.

Thank

you.