City99s FY26 DOE plan adds seats and teachers but leaves gaps on special education, head start and mental health

New York City99s executive financial plan includes a larger FY26 Department of Education budget and targeted investments to hire teachers and shore up early childhood programs, but parents, advocates and DOE witnesses told the Council99s joint finance and education hearing that the plan stops short of meeting urgent needs for preschool special education, related services, Head Start continuity and school medical and mental-health supports.

At the hearing, Chancellor Melissa AvilE9s Ramos and DOE finance and program leaders outlined an FY26 DOE operating budget of about $34.4 billion, a nearly $860 million increase over the preliminary plan. The executive plan funds 3,700 new classroom teaching positions to comply with the state class-size mandate and includes an initial $150 million of city funding for that work plus $200 million in later years; DOE officials said they expect additional state contracts for class-size work.

Chancellor AvilE9s Ramos emphasized the administration99s investments in early literacy, expanded high school career pathways and a new 93NYCPS Cares94 set of student safety and wellness initiatives. But deputy and division leaders repeatedly acknowledged areas where the administration still needs more funding or faces federal and state uncertainties.

Advocates and parent leaders repeatedly pressed DOE officials for additional, predictable money for preschool special education and related…