The 2026 NYC Racial Equity Plan showcases several spotlight wins for NYCPS. Below please find some additional spotlight wins:
- During the 2025-26 school year, seven (7) Family Child Care (FCC) networks engaged in ongoing Pyramid Model training, with some beginning to train their FCC providers in addition to their network staff. Two (2) FCC networks have also begun training community-based organization (CBO) leaders.
- Pre-K Centers in districts 2 and 20 are continuing to expand their training of leaders and staff while districts 9, 24, and 27 are in the process. Several district Pre-K centers have expressed interest in these training sessions. The Division of Early Childhood Education (DECE) continues to host information sessions on program wide implementation of the Pyramid Model trainings to connect programs with New York State (NYS) training and coaching resources.
- The DECE Inclusion Support Team uses the Pyramid Model as a framework for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to build capacity for inclusive practices. They have offered citywide training on the pre-referral process to reduce bias and reduce over-referrals for special education evaluations. This year, DECE began a conference entitled, “Belonging from the Beginning: Advancing Inclusion in Early Childhood Education” that advances inclusive practices by bringing together educators and partners from across NYC to strengthen inclusive practices for young learners. This event focused on building affirming early childhood environments where every child and family feels valued, supported, and a true sense of belonging.
- Through its systemwide approach focused on increasing literacy in NYCPS, the NYC Reads initiative implemented high quality instructional materials (HQIM) in elementary schools citywide (800+) and 102 middle schools. NYCPS is also implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to ensure students receive appropriate and targeted interventions to support their reading growth while providing intensive, culturally responsive coaching and professional development for educators.
- Since 2023, participating districts have seen a 42 percent reduction in District 75, special education options as a result of NYCPS's Autism Program Expansion. By expanding high-quality autism programs within community schools, more students have been able to access specialized supports close to home and learn in inclusive environments alongside their peers. These investments continue to produce strong outcomes, with 97.5 percent of students in these programs graduating within four years.
- During the 2025–26 school year, the Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning (DIAL) built systemwide capacity to implement the NYCPS Black Studies Curriculum (BSC) across 35 of 45 community school districts (78%) and approximately 475 schools and programs (30%). Through the BSC Integration & Coherence Toolkit and its myriad of supporting resources, leadership development, curriculum crosswalks, and professional learning, more than 6,000 educators strengthened their capacity to integrate the Black Studies Curriculum into Tier I instruction, advancing culturally responsive and sustaining instruction across NYCPS.
- During the 2024-2025 school year, approximately 15,000 students and 135 schools participated in labor-market-aligned pathways via FutureReadyNYC in fields including healthcare, technology, business, education, human and social services, and HVAC/decarbonization. These students received career-connected instruction, early college credit associated with a career of interest, financial literacy, paid work-based learning, and support to build a strong plan for their future. Students at FutureReadyNYC high schools had higher percentages of students service compared to citywide averages for Black (+4%) and Hispanic students (+6%), as well as multilingual learners (+1%) and students with high economic needs (+7%).
- In September 2026, NYCPS launched a Bronx STEAM Center in partnership with healthcare and community partners that primarily serves students from Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity (TRIE) neighborhoods.
- Students now have access to HBCU Early College Prep High School, located in Queens, where they can earn an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts from Delaware State University (DSU) while completing their high school diploma at NYCPS.
- NYCPS created and published—in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs—a Know Your Rights comic book educating that has been translated into accessible languages for schools and the community. These resources are provided directly to participating community school districts, requesting school communities, and published for free on the NYCPS website to download.
- The NYCPS Project Open Arms team, who supports immigrant families including those seeking asylum and ensures children are provided a full range of services through multi-agency coordination efforts, created and published translated Know Your Rights resources for families. This included backpack letters, publicly available materials, social media campaigns, ongoing public presentations and training, as well as school and district leadership training supports.
- Made institutional amendments to Chancellor’s Regulation A-655 governing language access to increase the baseline requirement for materials from nine (9) automatically provided languages up to thirteen (13) to better reflect individual communities through an evidence-based approach to accessibility and access.
- Increased overall student proficiency rates in Math across racial and ethnic demographics with Black student outcomes increasing year-over-year by 4.6 points; Hispanic student outcomes increasing year-over-year by 3.4 points, and Asian student outcomes increasing year-over-year by 1.1 points.
- Students with disabilities showed a 1.7 point increase in Math proficiency.
- Increased overall student proficiency rates in ELA across racial and ethnic demographics with Black student outcomes increasing year-over-year by 8.3 points; Hispanic student outcomes increasing year-over-year by 7.1 points, and Asian student outcomes increasing year-over-year by 4.9 points.
- Students with disabilities showed a 5.6 point increase in ELA proficiency rates.