Editing Openai/695c2a7d-de9c-8006-a97b-db86849d4859 (section)

==== ⚠️ WHAT NYC DOE WON’T TELL YOU (BUT ADVOCATES KNOW) ====

===== 1️⃣ An IESP Is Not Optional for DOE =====

DOE often acts like IESP services are discretionary. They are not.

If your child is:
* A NYC resident
* Eligible for special education
* Parentally placed in private school or homeschool

👉 DOE still has a legal obligation to provide equitable services through an IESP.

Delays ≠ denial. Silence ≠ no.

===== 2️⃣ “We Don’t Have Providers” Is NOT a Legal Excuse =====

DOE frequently claims:

: “We can’t find a provider.”

That is an administrative failure, not your problem.

Missed or delayed services = documented noncompliance
Document enough noncompliance and families can pursue:
* Compensatory services
* Independent providers
* Reimbursement
* Legal remedies

===== 3️⃣ Keeping an IEP Open Protects You =====

DOE won’t remind you that:
* Closing an IEP can weaken your documentation trail
* An open IEP helps establish continued eligibility
* It preserves leverage if the private or homeschool placement fails

You can parentally place your child and keep your IEP active.

===== 4️⃣ DOE Tracks “Difficult” Parents =====

They won’t say it, but it happens.

Families who:
* Ask for everything in writing
* Cite timelines
* CC supervisors
* Use advocates

…get faster responses.

This isn’t retaliation—it’s risk management on DOE’s end.

===== 5️⃣ Evaluations Are Often Minimized on Purpose =====

DOE evaluators may:
* Understate needs
* Skip functional or emotional impacts
* Avoid certain diagnoses

Independent evaluations (IEEs) often reveal:
* Higher service needs
* Missed disabilities
* Stronger legal positioning

You have the right to challenge evaluations.

===== 6️⃣ SETSS Is Frequently Underdosed =====

Many children receive:
* Too few SETSS hours
* Generic goals
* Inflexible delivery models

What DOE won’t tell you:
SETSS hours can be increased with data, documentation, and persistence.

===== 7️⃣ Homeschool Families Are Treated Like Afterthoughts =====

DOE prioritizes:
# Public school students
# Private school placements
# Homeschool families (last)

This is practice—not law.

Homeschool students are still entitled to:
* Timely IESP meetings
* Evaluations
* Services

But you must push harder and document more.

===== 8️⃣ Service Logs Are Your Power Tool =====

Every missed session matters.

DOE won’t explain that:
* Service logs build compensatory claims
* Patterns matter more than one-off misses
* Written complaints change behavior faster than calls

Keep:
* Dates
* Provider names
* Missed minutes
* DOE responses

===== 9️⃣ Mental Health Is Often Ignored Unless You Force It =====

DOE may avoid:
* Counseling services
* Emotional/behavioral supports
* Trauma-informed language

Especially if behavior is “manageable.”

You must explicitly request SEL and mental health supports—and tie them to access to learning.

===== 🔟 They Assume Families Will Give Up =====

Most families do.

DOE delay tactics work because:
* Families get overwhelmed
* Parents return to work
* Documentation slips

Consistency—not aggression—wins.