The Impact of New York City's Neoliberal "Children First" Reforms on the In/exclusion of Students With Disabilities

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Perspectives of Neoliberalism

Abstract

Abstract
This paper examines the school “choice” movement in New York City (NYC) that simultaneously consists of the small school movement and the high school application process required for all students entering public high schools. Drawing on qualitative interview data, observations of policy events, and analysis of media and policy documents, this paper sheds light on how the small school movement in NYC changed and exacerbated segregation along ability, race and class lines throughout the system. Through a disability studies in education perspective, findings in this paper describe how the “children first” reforms exacerbated the sorting and tracking of students into remaining large schools and away from smaller “higher achieving” schools.

Author

• Jessica K. Bacon, Montclair State University