ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a major legislative package to provide resources to students with disabilities, their families, and social services providers. An increase of $240 million is planned to invest for approved private schools serving children with disabilities in her upcoming 2022-2023 Executive Budget.

According to officials, the 2022-23 cost-of-living adjustment will increase preschool and school-age special education providers’ annual funding by more than $240 million. State funding will ultimately reimburse school districts and counties for roughly 60% of this cost. 

Following the 4 percent cost-of-living adjustment approved for the 2021-2022 school year tuition rates. The New York State Division of the Budget will authorize an additional cost-of-living adjustment of 11 percent for the 2022-2023 school year – an increase of more than 15 percent over two years. 

The legislation will assist in establishing the Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisory Board to provide a report on autism detection, education, and mapping. In addition, further legislation will appoint an impartial hearing board that will address complaints about students with disabilities and provide funding to early intervention education for toddlers with disabilities.

Officials say this report will evaluate and review factors on the causes of autism in children as well as assist healthcare providers and educators with ways to better help those diagnosed with autism. By creating early Intervention they say, will streamline the system for distributing funding to municipalities and allow for more early intervention services to be provided to children.