NY1 | “The city has a legal obligation to provide English language learner programming for students who have been identified by the city, by the Department of Education, as students who are English language learners,” said Diana Aragundi, assistant director of the Immigrant Students’ Rights Project at Advocates for Children.

The arrival of thousands of migrant students has strained a system that struggled to serve English language learners even before they arrived. Tuesday, Adams suggested other agencies or citizens could help fill the void and teach classes in shelters.

“While I commend community organizations that are providing all different types of programming for people that are new to the city and need to learn English, the obligation that the city has is for students to receive this programming in school,” Aragundi said. Watch video