Parents, therapists tell Suffolk County Legislature preschool special-education reimbursement rates are causing a provider shortage

A wave of parents, therapists and school administrators told the Suffolk County Legislature on March 5 that preschool special-education services in Suffolk County are in crisis because the county’s reimbursement rate has not risen in 27 years.

Speakers at the meeting said the county rate of $45 per session — established in the 1990s — is now insufficient to retain providers and that children approved for legally mandated services are waiting weeks or months. "I am here today to tell you that the preschool special education is facing a crisis," said Laura Baisch, a pediatric physical therapist with 42 years of experience. "Therapists and special education teachers are abandoning this field because they simply can't work to afford 1980 salaries in 2024."

Why it matters: Multiple presenters, including school district administrators and agency leaders,…