أدلت مؤسسة AFC بشهادتها أمام لجنة السياسة التعليمية لدعم اقتراح المدينة بإدراج $750 مليون لتحسين إمكانية الوصول إلى المدارس في خطة رأس المال 2020-2024. إن هذا الاستثمار في إمكانية الوصول، وهو الأكبر في المدينة حتى الآن، سيفتح الأبواب حرفيًا لضم ودمج الأفراد الذين غالبًا ما يتم استبعادهم بسبب احتياجاتهم المتعلقة بإمكانية الوصول.
موارد السياسة
تعمل AFC على تغيير سياسة التعليم بحيث يخدم نظام المدارس العامة الجميع الأطفال بشكل فعال. ننشر تقارير السياسات وتحليلات البيانات، ونشهد على مستوى المدينة والولاية، ونتحدث علنًا في الصحافة لجذب الانتباه إلى التحديات التي تواجه الطلاب والأسر التي نخدمها، وننضم إلى المدافعين الآخرين وأولياء الأمور والشباب والمعلمين للدعوة إلى يتغير.
More than 115 Organizations Call for Changes to New York State’s School Funding Formula
Every child in New York State has the right to a sound, basic education—and providing such an education requires adequate and equitable funding. More than 115 organizations are calling on Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature to revamp New York’s outdated school funding formula to ensure schools have the resources necessary to provide a high-quality education to all students, with particular attention to those who have the greatest needs.223 Results Found
AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education on the importance of increasing funding for several education priorities, including school social workers, direct mental health support for students, educational support for students who are homeless and students in foster care, and preschool special education programs.
Advocates for Children testified before the New York City Council Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction regarding the gap in access to direct mental health services and behavior supports for students with significant emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs.
AFC and the ARISE Coalition (coordinated by AFC) both testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education regarding the provision of special education services. The City must do more to extend the vision of equity and excellence in education to students with disabilities and to ensure that the needs of students with disabilities are considered and addressed in every DOE policy decision.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education, Committee on Finance, and Subcommittee on Capital Budget in support of the proposal to include $750 million in the FY 2020–2024 Capital Plan to improve school accessibility.
Advocates for Children testified before the City Council Committee on General Welfare regarding recommendations for supporting students experiencing homelessness.
AFC submitted public comment to the New York State Education Department on a proposed amendment to the regulation about the right of students with disabilities receiving SACC and CDOS credentials to participate in graduation ceremonies and activities. We urged NYSED to require schools to inform families that these students have the right to stay in school through age 21 or until they earn a diploma, regardless of their participation in graduation activities.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committees on Education, Sanitation and Solid Waste Management, and Transportation about the City’s Preparation for and Response to Winter Storm Avery. Our testimony focused on the experiences of students with disabilities on school buses during the snowstorm and the importance of passing legislation to provide parents with access to real-time GPS data for their children’s school buses.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committees on Juvenile Justice and Youth Services on the educational reentry programming needs of New York City’s formerly incarcerated youth.