City leaders and education advocates are addressing the concerns regarding after-school programs for families of children with disabilities.  

The City Council’s Committee on Youth Services spoke on Monday with the Department of Education and other city agencies about making changes to programs that would address what lawmakers refer to as gaps in services.  

“Think about a young disabled student that has a para all day long, one-to-one, and then its 3 p.m., and all of a sudden. they are in a room with 25 other kids,” said Bronx City Council Member Althea Stevens. “[They] are expected to stay focused and all the other things, when that’s not what they’ve been doing all day.”  

Members of the DOE say that one of their priorities when addressing these concerns is to improve spreading the word to schools and families on the process for requesting para-professionals.