BROOKLYN, NY— Brooklyn will invest $9.25 million to build sensory rooms across District 75 schools, expanding access to specialized learning environments for students with significant disabilities.
The funding will cover every elementary-aged District 75 site in the borough, beginning with 18 schools.
Each school will design its own space based on student needs, according to education officials.
District 75 serves students with autism, cognitive delays, sensory impairments and other disabilities that require individualized instruction.
At a school in Brownsville, borough officials demonstrated how the rooms function.
Students moved through a guided obstacle course and worked with sensory materials designed to help them focus and regulate.
“As a father to a child with autism, I know just how important sensory rooms are for the students who need them,” Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn borough president, said. “Sensory rooms help students regulate, focus, and reset so they can stay engaged in their learning.”
The rooms typically include soft lighting, visual displays and equipment that supports movement and sensory input.
Educators use them to help students manage stress, improve attention, and return to classroom activities.
District 75 Superintendent Keisha McCoy said the resources can change how students experience school.
“Sensory supports aren’t extras; they are essential,” McCoy said.
The investment will allow more schools to integrate sensory-based supports into daily instruction, according to officials.