POLITICO

New York City is spending more than $1 billion each year on private school tuition, related services and other costs for students with special education needs at a time when it faces chronic budget deficits that are imperiling Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s ambitious agenda. Now, Mamdani is betting that increasing the system’s capacity to provide those services can eventually curb those payouts. His administration is expanding specialized programs, adding staff to reduce evaluation delays and investing in preschool special education. The city is arguing that a stronger public school system will mean fewer families need to turn to private schools and litigation. Mamdani has projected $149 million in annual savings from reducing spending on those cases and changing how they are managed