This September, for the very first time, Keyona Davis’ son Dezmin was able to go to school.

“He went four years without that. So I was very scared about his social skills and development and — but he leaned right in as if he was ready, you know. And I'm just so happy,” Davis said.

Dezmin missed all of 3-K because he has autism, and for years, the city has failed to provide enough special education seats in its early childhood program, even as it has touted pre-K and 3-K for all. But this fall, he finally got a pre-K spot.

"I couldn't wait for him to go. I couldn't wait. And we were finally done. And when he left, I cried. Yes. But it was happy tears. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't wait to, you know, talk to his teachers. How was his first day? She sent me a picture. I was super happy to see he's adjusting. He's having friends. He's very active. I'm very grateful,” Davis said.

NY1 first featured Dezmin’s story in June, when he was one of 700 children going without a seat, and as advocates were urging elected officials to add more funding for these programs to the city budget. 

In June, Davis became teary-eyed as she explained to NY1, “As a parent, you don't want to feel powerless to help your child. And I'm trying not to cry right now, because it shouldn't be this hard of a fight just for education.”

Randi Levine, policy director of Advocates for Children, an organization that helped Dezmin, said it’s stories like his that pushed the city to add funding — and as a result, hundreds of new seats — this year.

“We appreciate that hard work and progress. And we need the city to keep going to ensure there is a preschool special education class for every child who needs one this year, because we know that the need grows throughout the school year,” Levine said.

The education department says that as of this fall, it has met the need for special education seats, but will add more later this year, anticipating more children will need spots then.

Davis says she thinks they should also do a better job explaining the special education system to parents. 

“Just explain the process. So everybody is very clear on it. So we can, we can get these things. And — make more seats available, teachers available, paraprofessionals, everything, because it's now a shortage that we're aware of. So let's do something about it,” she said.

“These preschool special education classes and services help some children say their first words, take their first steps, learn to play with other children,” Levine told NY1. “Children with autism should not have to sit at home while other children get to go to preschool. It's not fair, and it's a violation of [the] law. Dezmin will never get back the time he missed last year. The city should not let this happen to any other child.”