DOE Acronym Guide

• 311

  NYC 311

  The city's general information and complaint line — useful for non-emergency school and city services.

  Operations & Systems Learn more: NYC Public Schools

• 3-K

  3-K for All

  Free preschool for 3-year-olds.

  Enrollment & Grades Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Enrollment

• 504

  Section 504 Plan

  A plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act that gives a student with a disability accommodations to access learning. Eligibility is broader than an IEP, but it does not include specialized instruction.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• A-655

  Chancellor's Regulation A-655 — School & District Leadership Teams

  The Chancellor's Regulation that governs school and district leadership teams (SLTs and DLTs) and sets guidelines for effective teams.

  How to get involved

  Review it before running for an SLT seat or asking how your district selects DLT parent representatives.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• A-660

  Chancellor's Regulation A-660 — Parent Associations

  The Chancellor's Regulation that governs PA/PTAs — membership, officer elections, bylaws, and complaints.

  How to get involved

  Use it with your PA/PTA bylaws to understand how to run for president, secretary, treasurer, or other roles.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• ATS

  Automate the Schools

  The DOE's core student-information system, where schools track enrollment, attendance, and student records.

  Operations & Systems Learn more: NYC Public Schools

• BIP

  Behavioral Intervention Plan

  A plan of positive strategies to help a student replace a challenging behavior, usually based on an FBA.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• C-30

  Chancellor's Regulation C-30 — Principal Selection

  The official process for selecting principals and assistant principals, including a parent/staff committee. The Neighborhood School used C-30 to pick its next principal in 2026.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CCD75

  Citywide Council for District 75

  A citywide council focused on District 75 (specialized programs) policy — nine elected parents plus two appointees.

  How to get involved

  Run during the education-council election cycle if your child and program eligibility match the rules, or check appointee opportunities.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CCEC

  Community and Citywide Education Councils

  The collective label for the district CECs plus the four citywide councils (high schools, special education, English language learners, and District 75).

  How to get involved

  Choose the council that matches your child and role: CEC for district Pre-K–8, CCHS for high school, CCSE for special education, CCELL for English language learners, or CCD75 for District 75.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CCELL

  Citywide Council on English Language Learners

  A citywide council that advises on policy for English language learners — nine elected parents plus two appointees.

  How to get involved

  Run during the education-council election cycle if your child's status and the published rules make you eligible, or check appointee opportunities.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CCHS

  Citywide Council on High Schools

  A citywide council that advises on high-school policy — described by NYCPS as 10 elected parents (two per borough) plus appointees.

  How to get involved

  Run during the education-council election cycle if your child and borough eligibility match the rules. Watch the NYCPS election page for application windows and vacancy notices.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CCSE

  Citywide Council on Special Education

  A citywide council that advises on special-education policy and reports on service effectiveness — nine elected parents plus two appointees.

  How to get involved

  Run during the education-council election cycle if eligible, or check Public Advocate appointee opportunities when available.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CEC

  Community Education Council

  A volunteer parent council for one of NYC's 32 community school districts (The Neighborhood School is in District 1). It works with the superintendent, reviews programs, approves zoning lines, and hosts town halls.

  How to get involved

  When elections open, apply as a candidate through the NYCPS education-council election process. Eligibility is tied to having a child in a school in that district; vacancy and Borough President appointee seats may have separate forms.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CEP

  Comprehensive Educational Plan

  The school's improvement plan — its goals, priorities, and strategies — developed through the SLT process.

  How to get involved

  Join or attend the SLT to understand or influence the CEP.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CPAC

  Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council

  A parent advisory body connected to Presidents' Council leadership that raises parent concerns at the Chancellor level.

  How to get involved

  Usually not a direct application — start with your school PA/PTA, get involved in your Presidents' Council, and see how it selects its CPAC representative.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CPSE

  Committee on Preschool Special Education

  The CSE's counterpart for preschoolers (ages 3–5), overseeing evaluations and preschool special-education services.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• CR

  Chancellor's Regulation

  A formal NYCPS rule issued by the Chancellor, organized by letter and number (A-series for students/families, C-series for staff, D-series for general). Regulations set procedures for PA/PTAs, SLTs, education councils, complaints, and more.

  How to get involved

  Use the relevant regulation to check eligibility, deadlines, election rules, grievances, and appeal rights.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• CSE

  Committee on Special Education

  The team that evaluates a school-age student and decides whether they qualify for an IEP and which services they receive.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• DBN

  District Borough Number

  A school's unique code combining its district, borough, and number. The Neighborhood School's DBN is M363 (Manhattan).

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• DLP

  Dual Language Program

  Instruction split between two languages so students build reading and writing skills in both.

  Multilingual Learners Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Multilingual Learners

• DLT

  District Leadership Team

  A district-level team for educational planning and collaboration, covered alongside SLTs in Chancellor's Regulation A-655.

  How to get involved

  Ask your superintendent's office, district family leadership team, PA/PTA Presidents' Council, or parent coordinator how parent members are selected.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• DOE

  Department of Education (NYCDOE)

  The city agency that operates NYC's public schools — also branded NYC Public Schools (NYCPS). It issues Chancellor's Regulations, runs system operations, and supports schools.

  How to get involved

  Parents engage through formal public bodies, school associations, complaints and appeals, hearings, and public comment.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• ELA

  English Language Arts

  Reading, writing, speaking, and listening instruction.

  Programs & Academics Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Learning

• ELL

  English Language Learner

  A student who is learning English as an additional language; now often called a Multilingual Learner (MLL).

  Multilingual Learners Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Multilingual Learners

• ENL

  English as a New Language

  New York's instructional program that helps multilingual students learn English while learning grade-level content. (Replaced the term ESL.)

  Multilingual Learners Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Multilingual Learners

• ESL

  English as a Second Language

  The former name for ENL instruction; you may still hear it used.

  Multilingual Learners Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Multilingual Learners

• ESSA

  Every Student Succeeds Act

  The federal law governing K–12 public education, including testing and accountability.

  Testing & Assessment Learn more: New York State Education Department

• ESY

  Extended School Year

  IEP services that continue over the summer for students at risk of losing skills during the break.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• FACE

  Family and Community Engagement

  The DOE division — and the school staff role — focused on involving families in school life.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• FBA

  Functional Behavioral Assessment

  A study of why a challenging behavior happens, used to design supports. Often leads to a BIP.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• FOIL

  Freedom of Information Law

  New York's public-records request process, covering public records (with some exceptions and agency procedures).

  How to get involved

  You don't join FOIL — use it to request records related to meetings, votes, policies, or decisions.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• G&T

  Gifted & Talented

  Accelerated programs for eligible students, with their own admissions process.

  Enrollment & Grades Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Enrollment

• HLIS

  Home Language Identification Survey

  The short form families complete at enrollment to identify the language spoken at home — the first step in identifying MLLs.

  Multilingual Learners Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Multilingual Learners

• ICT

  Integrated Co-Teaching

  A class taught jointly by a general-education and a special-education teacher, serving students with and without IEPs in the same room.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• IEE

  Independent Educational Evaluation

  An outside evaluation a family can request — often at DOE expense — when they disagree with the school's evaluation.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• IEP

  Individualized Education Program

  A legal document describing the special-education services, goals, and supports a student with a disability receives, reviewed at least once a year.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• LRE

  Least Restrictive Environment

  The principle that students with disabilities should learn alongside their non-disabled peers as much as is appropriate.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• MAP

  Measures of Academic Progress

  A periodic, computer-adaptive assessment (from NWEA) some schools use to track reading and math growth.

  Testing & Assessment Learn more: New York State Education Department

• MLL

  Multilingual Learner

  NYC's inclusive term for students who speak a language other than English at home — the same group once called ELLs.

  Multilingual Learners Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Multilingual Learners

• MTSS

  Multi-Tiered System of Supports

  A framework that gives students increasing levels of academic or behavioral support based on how they respond to instruction.

  Programs & Academics Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Learning

• NYCPS

  New York City Public Schools

  The public-facing name for New York City's public-school system (the DOE) — the nation's largest.

  How to get involved

  You don't join NYCPS directly as a parent — you join parent leadership through your school PA/PTA, SLT, an education council, or public-comment processes.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• NYCSA

  NYC Schools Account

  The parent account for checking your child's grades, attendance, test scores, and forms online.

  Operations & Systems Learn more: NYC Public Schools

• NYSED

  New York State Education Department

  The state agency that sets standards, oversees schools, and administers state tests.

  Testing & Assessment Learn more: New York State Education Department

• NYSESLAT

  New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test

  The annual state test that measures the English proficiency of multilingual learners and determines continued ENL services.

  Multilingual Learners Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Multilingual Learners

• NYS Tests

  New York State ELA & Math Tests

  Annual state assessments in English and math for students in grades 3–8.

  Testing & Assessment Learn more: New York State Education Department

• OML

  Open Meetings Law

  New York's law for the public meetings of public bodies, affecting notice, access, minutes, executive session, and conduct.

  How to get involved

  You don't join OML — use it to understand transparency expectations for public bodies.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• OPT

  Office of Pupil Transportation

  The DOE office that handles school bus service and student MetroCards.

  Operations & Systems Learn more: NYC Public Schools

• OSE

  Office of Student Enrollment

  The DOE office that runs applications, registration, and transfers for public schools.

  Enrollment & Grades Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Enrollment

• OT

  Occupational Therapy

  Therapy that builds fine-motor, sensory, and daily-living skills (e.g., handwriting, using scissors, self-regulation).

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• Para

  Paraprofessional

  A classroom aide who supports students, sometimes assigned 1:1 through a student's IEP.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• PBIS

  Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

  A school-wide framework for teaching, modeling, and reinforcing positive behavior.

  Programs & Academics Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Learning

• PD

  Professional Development

  Training and planning time for teachers and staff — sometimes the reason for an early dismissal.

  Programs & Academics Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Learning

• PEP

  Panel for Educational Policy

  The citywide body that oversees NYCPS and votes on major policy, contracts, regulations, and school proposals.

  How to get involved

  Not a normal school election — NYCPS posts PEP applications/vacancies when available, and CEC presidents help select borough reps. You can also speak or submit written public comment at meetings.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• Pre-K

  Pre-Kindergarten

  The school year before kindergarten, for 4-year-olds.

  Enrollment & Grades Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Enrollment

• Presidents' Council

  Presidents' Council

  A group of PA/PTA presidents from schools in a district (or other grouping) that coordinates parent leadership, shares information, and may select or advise representatives.

  How to get involved

  Become your school's PA/PTA president or authorized designee, then participate through the relevant Presidents' Council under its bylaws.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• PT

  Physical Therapy

  Therapy that supports gross-motor skills, strength, balance, and mobility.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• PTA

  Parent Teacher Association / Parent Association (PA)

  A school-based group that advocates for families, shares information, hosts activities, and may raise funds. (It's a Parent Association, PA, when it has no teacher members.) Officers run it under bylaws and Chancellor's Regulation A-660.

  How to get involved

  Parents, step-parents, legal guardians, foster parents, and those in a parental relation are automatically members. To become an officer, run in the spring PA/PTA election before the last day of school.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• RSA

  Related Service Authorization

  A voucher letting a family obtain an IEP service (such as speech or OT) from an approved independent provider when the DOE can't deliver it.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• RTI

  Response to Intervention

  Targeted, monitored help for students who are struggling — a core piece of MTSS.

  Programs & Academics Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Learning

• SEIT

  Special Education Itinerant Teacher

  A special-education teacher who travels to a preschooler's classroom or home to provide services on their IEP.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• SEL

  Social-Emotional Learning

  Teaching skills like self-awareness, empathy, friendship, and managing emotions alongside academics.

  Programs & Academics Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Learning

• SETSS

  Special Education Teacher Support Services

  Support from a special-education teacher — in the general classroom or in a small group — to help a student meet their IEP goals.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• SLP

  Speech-Language Pathologist

  A specialist who evaluates and treats speech, language, and communication needs.

  Special Education Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Special Education

• SLT

  School Leadership Team

  A school-based team of parents and staff that develops educational policy and the school's Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) by consensus, and consults on certain leadership appointments.

  How to get involved

  Ask your parent coordinator or PA/PTA leadership when parent seats are elected. Members are elected, and the SLT must keep an equal number of parents and staff.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• STEAM

  Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math

  Hands-on, integrated learning across these subjects (STEM with the Arts added).

  Programs & Academics Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Learning

• TBE

  Transitional Bilingual Education

  A program that teaches content in a student's home language while they build English, then transitions to English.

  Multilingual Learners Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Multilingual Learners

• TeachHub

  TeachHub

  The DOE's single sign-on portal where students and staff reach email, NYCSA, and learning apps.

  Operations & Systems Learn more: NYC Public Schools

• Title I

  Title I

  Federal funding for schools with a high share of students from low-income families, supporting extra academic services.

  Schools & Governance Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Get Involved

• UPK

  Universal Pre-Kindergarten

  Free, full-day pre-K for every 4-year-old in NYC.

  Enrollment & Grades Learn more: NYC Public Schools — Enrollment

This guide is maintained by the PTA Website Committee; the governance entries (and the “How to get involved” guidance) are adapted from the NYCPS Governance Acronym Demystifier created by Alejandro on the School Leadership Team. Don't see an acronym you've heard? Tell us and we'll add it. Definitions are simplified for parents — for official details, follow the “Learn more” links.