Special needs kids are also already entitled to full day, pre-k in NYC. When we were living in NYC, my son was 4 yrs old and in a full day pre-k, integrated special needs program. It was the only way I could get him pt/ot/speech. I would not have put my son into this pre-k program if I could get the services elsewhere but I had to obtain a lawyer, spend tons of money, and fight the NYC Board of Ed for it.
So though my son is 2e, which we didn't know at the time, he got a free pre-k education as being a special needs student. My son therefore did have full access to government-funded schooling when others did not, which is an inequitable system. We left NYC when he was in pre-k to avoid the 2e issues with kindy and elementary school, which is a complete shambles and disgrace imo. There's little for 2e kids in NYC.
In NYC, it goes by calendar year - unless things have changed within the last couple of years.
Federal law covers special needs students with education; it doesn't cover giftedness. There is NO federal mandate for giftedness. There is a federal mandate for disabilities with the ADA. Some states offer g/t but others do not.
