City education leaders face council questions on segregation, special education and efforts to expand diverse, inclusive schools

Chancellor Melissa Aviles Ramos told a joint hearing of the New York City Council’s education and civil and human rights committees that New York City public schools are pursuing numerous programs to expand diverse and inclusive options but acknowledged the system has more work to do on segregation and outcomes.

“Diversity is one of our greatest strengths,” Aviles Ramos said in her opening testimony, adding that the district serves about 912,000 students and that the system’s demographic mix “captures a richly diverse school system.” She laid out a mix of district‑level initiatives — diversity and admissions programs, new accelerated high schools and expanded specialized‑program seats — while urging continued community partnership.

Why this matters: Council members and witnesses pressed the Department of Education (DOE) on gaps between policy goals and results: large racial and income disparities in school composition and academic outcomes, limited implementation of district diversity plans required by Local Law 225 (2019), and unequal access to after‑school seats and services for students with disabilities. Council leaders emphasized the need for measurable progress, not only plans.

Most important facts

- DOE reported there were roughly 912,000 students in 2023–24; the department’s 2023–24 breakdown cited in testimony was 42.2% Latine, 19.5% Black, 18.7% Asian and 16.2% White; 73.5% of students were economically disadvantaged, 21.6% had IEPs and 16.3% were English language learners. (Melissa Aviles Ramos, testimony)

- DOE officials said 69 middle schools had returned to using academic screens as of this year; the department also described a range of local diversity initiatives and school mergers that it says expanded access at some high‑demand schools. (Melissa Aviles Ramos; Trevanda Kelly)

- On special education and inclusion, DOE staff said pilots expanding programs such as NEST, AIMS and Horizon reduced District 75 referrals in some pilots from 56% to 19% and shortened average travel distance for placements from about 2.7 miles to 1.5 miles. (John Hammer; NYCPS testimony)

- DOE gave staffing and funding figures in response to questions: the first deputy chancellor provided a teacher workforce breakdown of about 52% White, 16% Black, 19% Hispanic and 8% Asian; principals were described as about 45% White, 30% Black, 19% Hispanic and 5% Asian. The department said it added about $100 million in targeted weights in the fair student funding formula and recently distributed roughly $128 million in hold‑harmless funding. (Daniel Weisberg; testimony)

Supporting details and council concerns

Council Member Rita Joseph, chair of the education committee, and Co‑Chair Dr. Natasha Williams of the civil and human rights committee pressed DOE on implementation gaps. Joseph noted Local Law 225 (2019) required district diversity working groups and asked why the law’s district plans were not implemented citywide; Aviles Ramos acknowledged that only a few districts had completed plans and said community‑driven processes take time.

Multiple council members and witnesses described local examples of both progress and friction: District 15’s community‑driven plan and recent school mergers were cited as successes; District 28 in Queens drew attention for community resistance and leadership turnover. Superintendents from Districts 3, 13 and 15 described local engagement models including monthly town halls, participatory action research and sustained SLT and CEC engagement.

Special education and inclusion: DOE officials told the council they are expanding inclusive programs so students with higher needs can remain closer to home. John Hammer and other DOE speakers said two out of three students with IEPs now spend most of the school day in inclusive general education settings, and that district pilots have produced measurable reductions in out‑of‑district placements in some areas. Some council members pressed for faster capital investments to make buildings accessible and for better transportation for students in colocated or district 75 programs.

Teacher recruitment, workforce diversity and class size

DOE officials said the department is expanding alternative certification and teacher fellow programs to recruit teachers for shortage areas and to diversify the teacher pipeline, subsidizing tuition for teaching fellows. On class size law implementation, DOE said schools submitted plans designed to comply with the law without reducing enrollment or cutting specialized programs; DOE staff said higher‑need schools were already in higher compliance and that the department will prioritize supports to preserve access and diversity.

Curriculum, cultural responsiveness and professional development

DOE described rollout plans for a citywide Black studies curriculum and “Hidden Voices” curricular resources for multiple communities; the chancellor said more than 300 schools have used initial materials and that a phased, district‑led, citywide expansion is planned. DOE also described DEI and culturally responsive training, including “meeting the moment” work addressing anti‑Semitism and Islamophobia and localized professional learning with district teams.

After school, transportation and District 75 equity

Witnesses and the City Comptroller’s deputy raised inequities in after‑school access for students with disabilities and District 75 programs. The comptroller’s office told the council its survey of principals found District 75 schools less likely to have DYCD‑funded after‑school programs, less likely to receive City Council Casa grants, and constrained by transportation and funding arrangements that limit participation. DOE said it would continue coordinating funding partners and work to expand specialized seats and supports closer to families.

Student testimony and restorative practices

Multiple students and youth advocates testified about school climate and supports. Students described how segregation and lack of representation shaped classroom experiences and urged sustained, year‑round supports for outreach programs that aim to diversify specialized high schools. A youth witness also urged the council to preserve funding for restorative justice and mental‑health supports; DOE staff cited expanded access to social workers and mental‑health clinics and said central initiatives will increase capacity.

What was not decided

No votes were taken during the hearing. Council members stated that no legislation would be voted on at the hearing in order to hear broad testimony.

Ending

Council leaders and DOE officials agreed to follow up on data requests and to meet with superintendents and community groups to advance specific implementation details. The hearing closed with repeated calls from lawmakers and witnesses for clearer benchmarks, more transparent data reporting and faster action to ensure that investments and programs translate into measurable progress for historically underserved students.