NYC: 20% of students have special needs; 70% of gen ed teachers say they need additional training

May 28, 2026, Amsterdam News:  OPINION | New York must fund special education training now!

I am the mother of twin boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder who are in New York City’s public schools. I am also a parent leader who spends countless hours advocating not just for my children, but for all children. Here is the truth: Our special education system is not failing because teachers don’t care. It is failing because teachers are overwhelmed and undertrained. If we are serious about educational equity, then special education training must be funded explicitly in the state budget.

At every Community Education Council (CEC) meeting, the same thing happens.

Parents stand up. We speak. We explain what our children need. We tell our superintendents. We go to the Department of Education (DOE). We talk to the DOE’s Office of Family and Community Empowerment. We reach out to the mayor’s office. And somehow, the ball gets tossed again.

“It’s a city issue.” “It’s a state issue …” “It’s a budget issue …” “Talk to Albany …”

Meanwhile, our children wait.

According to the New York State Education Department, nearly 20% of students in New York public schools receive special education services. Statewide, approximately 19% of students — nearly 460,000 children — are classified as students with disabilities. Yet teachers routinely report feeling unprepared to support students with autism, ADHD, emotional disorders, and speech and language needs in inclusive classrooms.

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, more than 70% of general education teachers say they need additional training to serve students with disabilities effectively. At the same time, national surveys reported by Education Week show that fewer than one in five teachers feel “very well prepared” to teach students with learning disabilities such as ADHD or dyslexia.

The challenge is growing because most students with disabilities now spend the majority of their school day in general education classrooms as part of inclusive education policies.

Researchers from Forward Together note that inclusion can only succeed when teachers have the training, support staff, and instructional tools necessary to meet diverse learning needs. Research published by the Education and Healthcare Public Service Journal also emphasizes that without adequate training and classroom support, teachers are often left trying to serve students with complex learning needs without the preparation they were promised during their training programs.

That gap shows up every day.

Professional development in special education is inconsistent, underfunded, and too often treated as optional instead of essential. Teachers already working full-time cannot simply “go back to school” for more training without structured, paid, and mandated support. Expecting them to figure it out alone is unfair — to educators and students alike. . . .