Brooklyn has more school districts than any other borough, and four separate Committees on Special Education share them. That matters when a child has missed speech, occupational therapy, counseling or SETSS: the first practical question for a Brooklyn family is often which office handles the paperwork. This page sorts that out and then explains, in plain terms, how families here usually go after make-up services. We are an independent information and referral site. We are not the Department of Education, we are not a law firm, we do not give legal advice, and we charge families nothing.
The four Brooklyn CSE offices and the districts they cover
As listed on the NYC Public Schools committees page:
- CSE 5, Districts 19, 23 and 32: 1665 St. Marks Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11233. Phone 718-240-3557. School-age email CSE5@schools.nyc.gov.
- CSE 6, Districts 17, 18 and 22: 5619 Flatlands Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11234. Phone 718-968-6200. School-age email CSE6@schools.nyc.gov.
- CSE 7, Districts 20 and 21: 415 89th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11209. Phone 718-759-4983. School-age email CSE7@schools.nyc.gov.
- CSE 8, Districts 13, 14, 15 and 16: 131 Livingston Street, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, New York 11201. Phone 718-935-4900. School-age email CSE8@schools.nyc.gov.
Each office also has a preschool (CPSE) inbox on the same page. CPSE 7's preschool address is written CPSE7BKsupport@schools.nyc.gov, with "BK" in it, so copy it carefully.
Which one is yours?
The page says a school-age child is assigned to the CSE where the child goes to school, and a preschooler to the CPSE where the child lives. A child who is homeschooled, out of school with an IEP, or attending school outside the city is assigned by home address. If you are unsure of your district, the page points to the city's GOAT address tool, where Function 1B shows "School District" for any address.
The same page lists who the CSEs coordinate for: preschoolers, students in private, parochial or charter schools in the city, students placed outside the city, students on home or hospital instruction as their IEP placement, homeschooled students and students not attending school. If your child attends a district public school in Brooklyn, that list does not include them, so the school itself is usually the first place to raise missed services.
How a Brooklyn family usually starts
- Write down what was missed. Compare the service lines on the IEP with what actually happened, week by week. Our guide to documenting missed services shows what to collect.
- Put it in writing to the school. A short dated email to the principal or IEP team naming the service, the frequency on the IEP and the sessions that did not happen creates a record.
- Contact the right Brooklyn CSE if your child is in one of the groups the committees serve, using the inbox above. The page asks you to include your child's full name and date of birth, whether you need another language, whether you are deaf or hard of hearing, and what the inquiry is about.
- If the issue is not resolved, a parent can file a due process complaint, which goes to an impartial hearing. Our due process complaint guide describes the general steps. Many families work with an advocate or attorney for this part.
Not sure your situation counts? Start with who qualifies.
Using an award in Brooklyn
When make-up hours are awarded, they usually come with a Related Services Authorization (RSA) for therapies, or a P4 letter for SETSS only. Both let the family choose an independent provider who bills the city. Read our RSA guide and P4 guide before you sign anyone up.
Brooklyn is large, and a provider who sounds close can still mean a long trip across the borough after school. When you call providers, ask plainly whether they come to your home, see children at a fixed location, or offer online sessions, and what happens when a session is canceled. Online tutoring removes travel entirely and suits some SETSS work; in-person sessions are usually expected for many therapies. If you already have an award, our already awarded page covers what to do next.
Official background: Committees on Special Education and Committees on Preschool Special Education, NYC Public Schools
If you would like someone to walk through your situation with you, at no cost, request a free callback.
