NEW YORK - Eighty percent of city school buildings are not accessible to disabled students, teachers, and parents.
Now Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza is looking to spend nearly a billion dollars to fix the problem.
Carranza says the city will put $750 million toward building ramps, installing elevators and making renovations so more school buildings are accessible.
By 2024, half of all elementary schools should be at least partially accessible and a third of all schools will be fully accessible.
"We had been pushing improved accessibility since we did the math a few years ago, and speaking to families, it's become clearer and clearer that we needed more accessible options at every school level," said Maggie Morroff of Advoctaes for Children of New York.
The project is part of a five-year, $17 billion capital plan which also includes money to create space for 38,000 more students.