New York City is investing $67.5 million to expand preschool special education services across 14 school districts, a move aimed at increasing access to programs for children with autism and developmental delays.

The funding will support the hiring of new staff and the expansion of specialized programs, allowing more children to attend preschool programs closer to home, city officials said.

Several Bronx districts: 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are slated to receive new programs. In Brooklyn, the expansion will include districts 14, 15, 20 and 21.

Education officials said the initiative is designed to provide high-quality, individualized instruction that helps young children develop academic, communication and social skills during their earliest years of learning.

The announcement comes after years of concerns from advocates who said thousands of preschoolers with disabilities were not receiving legally mandated services.

According to a report from Advocates for Children of New York, 37% of preschool students with disabilities went the 2021-2022 school year without receiving at least one service required under their individualized education programs.

City leaders said the expansion is intended to help close those gaps and improve access to support for families.

“Universal has to mean exactly that, universal,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said during the announcement. “Having a child with a disability or a special need should not be the exception to that rule. Every preschooler deserves to learn ... at a preschool in their community. And every parent deserves to know that no matter what educational needs their child may have, they are safe, they are supported and they are learning.”

In addition to creating new classroom opportunities, city officials said the investment will help reduce evaluation wait times, expand bilingual assessments and provide additional support for families navigating the Individualized Education Program, or IEP, process.

The city expects the expansion to increase access to preschool special education services in neighborhoods where families have historically faced limited options.