NY Daily News | Close to 37% of preschoolers with disabilities went all of last year without receiving at least one mandated service, such as speech or physical therapy, according to a new analysis of education department data released Tuesday by Advocates for Children. The shortfall is likely far worse and the data understates the magnitude of the problem, advocates say.

That’s because the city considers children “served” if they had just one session, and systemic legal violations appear to have increased this year. “We have had even more difficulty this year getting services in place for preschoolers with disabilities whose parents contact us,” said Betty Baez Melo, director of the Early Childhood Education Project at Advocates for Children.