Path—powered by the Trauma Informed Schools Institute (TISI)—is an inclusion model that creates new paths to success for students who can benefit from focused emotional and behavioral support, specifically those who have the potential to be classified as having emotional disabilities. Based on the Nest Support Project model, Path is a New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Specialized Program that serves students within a community school using a culturally responsive and trauma-informed, healing centered approach.

Path is embedded throughout the school, fostering a culture of safety and inclusion, and creating equitable opportunities for learning and development. The program aims to promote students’ academic and social-emotional outcomes using a strength-based approach. Through integrative co-teaching, social-emotional support, and a small class size, the Path Program provides schools with effective tools to support students with and without emotional-behavioral challenges in an integrated setting, with the ultimate goal of fostering student success and reducing the prevalence of ED classification. The Path Program includes coordinated support from general education teachers, special education teachers, school social workers, occupational therapists, and school administrators.

Path represents a partnership between NYCPS Division of Specialized Instruction and Student Support and NYU’s Institute of Human Development and Social Change (IHDSC).  

Our Mission

The mission of the Path Program is to promote the inclusion of students with emotional disabilities within community schools. The program works to foster a new path toward academic success and social-emotional growth for children through partnership with their families and school staff. The Path Program strives to disrupt the historical segregation of Black and Brown children in restrictive special education settings. Our whole school approach fosters a culture of safety and belonging for students in need of specific emotional support and their families.

The Path Program is made possible by the compassion and dedication of a whole school community. At the core of Path are unconditional love, collaboration, and a strengths-based mindset.