Advocates for Children of New York works on behalf of children who are at greatest risk for school-based discrimination and/or academic failure due to poverty, disability, race, ethnicity, immigrant or English Language Learner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, or involvement in the foster care or juvenile justice systems.
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Save the Date
AFC's 2018 Spring Benefit
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
6:00—9:30 pm
Three Sixty° in New York City
Spotlight
AFC, members of the ARISE Coalition, and PIE call for increased funding for school accessibility in the 2019 City budget
05.21.2018 | On May 15, members of the ARISE Coalition, which is coordinated by AFC, and Parents for Inclusive Education (PIE) wrote to Mayor de Blasio and the New York City Council, urging them to ensure that the final FY 2019 budget includes the City Council’s recommendation for an additional $125 million for school accessibility projects.... Read more
AFC’s Fiscal Year 2019 City Budget Priorities
05.02.2018 | On March 23, AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education regarding the Fiscal Year 2019 Preliminary Budget. Read our full testimony [PDF] and click on the links below to learn more about each of AFC's advocacy priorities. Support for students who are homeless [PDF] In 2016-17, a... Read more
Response to Release of NYC Executive Budget
04.26.2018 | Today, Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), issued the following statement in response to the release of the New York City Fiscal Year 2019 Executive Budget: We are pleased that the City is allocating an additional $125 million to 854 high-needs schools through Fair Student Funding. ... Read more
AFC Response to Fair Student Funding Announcement
04.25.2018 | Today, Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), issued the following statement in response to the announcement by Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Johnson regarding the increase in funding for Fair Student Funding: We are pleased that the City is allocating an additional $125 million to 854 high-needs... Read more
AFC in the News
What should it take to graduate? Inside the growing divide over whether to require New York’s vaunted Regents exams
05.03.2018 | Chalkbeat New York | The confusion surrounding Garcia’s diploma grows out of the system that New York’s education leaders have been creating for years — carving out new ways for students to graduate that rely less on the passing the state’s traditional five Regents exams. The goal is to ensure students like Garcia don’t get left... Read more
Pols, activists call for City Hall to fund homeless-student aid
04.18.2018 | New York Daily News | A group of 30 City Council members signed on to a letter sent to de Blasio on Monday that seeks at least $30.3 million for social workers and tutors, in addition to other measures to support homeless kids... Randi Levine, the policy coordinator for Advocates for Children, said her group also backs the push for... Read more
Here’s how Richard Carranza handled Houston’s special education crisis and what it could mean for New York City
04.03.2018 | Chalkbeat New York | When New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Carranza as his pick to replace Chancellor Carmen Fariña, local advocates privately wondered what his record on special education in Houston might mean for New York... Moroff said she is optimistic that Carranza will take those problems seriously — and that local... Read more
New York City students can now pass Spanish exam on path to graduation
03.28.2018 | Chalkbeat New York | Still, those learning English will be required to pass another four exams, including an English Regents exam, which could limit their ability to use the new option, said Ashley Grant, a supervising staff attorney at Advocates for Children. “We’d still like to see more pathways that don’t rely on high-stakes... Read more