Building Accessibility
- All admissions applications include a question that will ask you to indicate whether your child has accessibility needs and requires a school or program in an accessible building.
- To learn about any specific school building's accessibility, check its Building Accessibility Profile.
- You can also use the MySchools directory to explore school options for your child. You can filter for programs with specific accessibility criteria using the “More Filters” drop down menu.
Admissions Priorities
Schools located in fully and partially accessible buildings prioritize applicants with accessibility needs. We encourage any family with accessibility needs to explore their child’s program options in MySchools, and to list choices on their child’s application that will meet their family’s needs. For more specific information about a program’s admissions priorities, please contact the program directly.
3-K, Pre-K, and Kindergarten Admissions
- Applicants with accessibility needs will get offers before other students in their admissions priority group.
- If your child’s pre-K or 3-K offer does not meet your family’s needs, please contact us at ESEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov and we will be happy to support you with next steps.
Middle and High School Admissions
- All accessible middle and high schools will prioritize students with accessibility needs regardless of the zone or district where they live.
- If your child receives an offer to a school or program in a building that is not accessible, we will work with you to find an accessible placement for your child.
- Please contact us at MSEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov or HSEnrollment@schools.nyc.gov if you have additional questions.
Meeting Accessibility Needs
We are committed to ensuring that our programs, services, and activities are accessible to staff, members of the school community, students, and family members.
For admissions purposes, a student with accessibility needs is one who uses a mobility device—such as a wheelchair, walker, crutches, or cane—to negotiate the environment, or any student who negotiates the school environment with difficulty and/or at a slower pace than their peers, whether it is due to muscle weakness, lack of endurance, or any other reason.
Do you think your school might need a reasonable accommodation to meet your child's accessibility needs?
Learn about building accessibility.
Need an accessible school now?
Here's a citywide list of accessible schools.
New to NYC and need an accessible school?
Learn how to enroll and what to provide when you register on our New Students page.
What if your child's school does not meet their accessibility needs?
Explore options to transfer.
What if you are a parent/guardian with accessibility needs?
We encourage you to contact us at our enrollment inboxes we can help find a school for your child that meets your family’s needs.
Levels of Accessibility
Each school or program in our MySchools directories or on Find a School will be labeled as one of three accessibility levels: fully accessible, partially accessible, or not accessible.
Please note that a school building may contain several programs with different accessibility levels, depending on where those programs are located in the building. For example, in a high school building labeled partially accessible, some programs may be fully accessible while others may be partially accessible or not accessible. When you call or visit schools to learn more, be sure to ask about accessibility for the specific program(s) that interest you.
Fully Accessible
A fully accessible school or program is located in one of the following:
- A building constructed after 1992, complies with all of the ADA’s design requirements, and has no barriers to access for persons with mobility impairments, or
- A partially accessible building where all programs and services have been surveyed and are determined to be accessible.
Partially Accessible
A partially accessible school or program allows for anyone with mobility impairments to enter and exit the building, access most relevant programs, and have use of at least one restroom, but the entire building may not be accessible.
We continually assess all of our buildings to determine levels of accessibility and ways to improve.
- Contact schools and programs directly or visit them to learn more about their accessibility.
- Find the most up-to-date information on accessibility on the Building Accessibility page.
Accessible Open House Guidance
Accessibility Guidance for Schools
MySchools Directory for Parents/Families/Students
- When registering for the open house through MySchools directories a parent can review the accessibility profile of the building and if selected can review the full Building Accessibility Profile (BAP) of the building. This information will provide how this specific building is accessible. For example will describe if partially accessible, if there is a ramp and where it is located.
- Through the directory, schools with bridge programs, work based learning, and specialized programs can be searched using the filter feature. Additionally, after school clubs, activities and supports are listed on most high school MySchool pages.
- The profile of the school includes the link to the school website where more information about school culture and programs can be reviewed.
- The profile also includes the contact information for the school where some of the questions below can be answered e.g., special education programs, related service staffing, and transition services.
NYC Public Schools Enrollment for Parents/Families/Students
- For specific questions regarding your child’s IEP, for example services, supports, strategies or interventions, you should contact the admissions contact, often the parent coordinator or guidance counselor at the school. They can answer specifics for their school and how students with IEPs are supported and meaningfully included.