The goals of New York's State Improvement Grant (SIG) are to reduce the performance gap in educational achievement between general education and special education students in high-need and low-need districts and reduce or eliminate the disproportionality of language and ethnic minority students in classification placement practices. In those cases where both low performance and disproportionality occur, there is a likelihood that the root causes on both are the same. Many of the root causes contributing to performance gaps and overrepresentation can be addressed through intensive personnel development initiatives designed to bring about systems change over the life of the grant. New York’s SIG incorporates seven strategies to effect systems change to reduce the performance gap in educational achievement and reduce or eliminate the disproportionality.

VESID-Office of Special Education Policy has recently published an updated guide for parents of students with disabilities, Special Education on New York State for Children Ages 3-21 - A Parent's Guide.  This publication provides information for parents, guardians, and other family members about laws, regulations, and policies affecting special education programs and services in New York State.