Need Help?
Call AFC's Education Helpline
(866) 427-6033
Monday to Thursday
10 am to 4 pm
Julian’s Story
Julian is a 3-year-old preschooler with delays in his language skills, but the DOE failed to provide recommended services.
Donate Now
Help Advocates for Children support more New York City students!
Stay connected
Sign up for AFC's email updates and find other ways to take action.
-
Page: Co-location CasesCo-location CasesAs part of the State law extending mayoral control of the schools, the NYC Department of Education (DOE) cannot close, move, or share public school space without a public process designed to ensure accountability. Instead, the DOE must disclose the impact that any proposal...
-
07.08.2016 | Chalkbeat New York | Advocates noted that the reimbursement process still favors families with access to money, information, and legal help – and that making it easier for those families is a tacit acknowledgement that many disabled students are likely not getting what they need in the...
-
07.02.2016 | Huffington Post | Abja Midha is a project director with Advocates for Children of New York, one of two organizations that filed the complaint against the New York City Department of Education. Midha says there is still a disconnect between policy and practice. Few parents know about...
-
Gives information on how to call the Helpline in English, Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian, and Urdu.
-
Resource: Guide to Special EducationDetailed guide to the special education system in NYC and the rights of parents and students. Explains the process of referral, evaluation, IEP development, and placement, including information on non-public schools and due process rights.
-
06.15.2016 | Education Week | Abja Midha, a project director for Advocates for Children, an organization that supports multiple pathways for high school diplomas, said in an interview with Education Week that the new option is welcome—but that it comes with some concerns. First, it makes it even...
-
06.14.2016 | Chalkbeat New York | Several advocates for students with disabilities said easing graduation standards could help students earn a diploma and enable them to apply for a vocational program, get a job, or join the military. Those options were not available under a previous credential New...
-
Resource: Politik Pwomosyon nan Lekòl Leta Vil Nouyòk la pou Moun k ap Aprann Angle (ELLs) nan Klas K—8This fact sheet explains the different promotion criteria for ELLs based on their grade and the number of years they have been enrolled in a U.S. school. (HAITIAN CREOLE)
-
A brief overview of the three main English language learning programs in New York City’s public schools: English as a New Language (ENL), Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE), and Dual Language. (HAITIAN CREOLE)
-
06.09.2016 | Chalkbeat New York | Some observers said there is still room for improving the new report cards, which can help families make informed choices. “Some of them could and should be more nuanced, but I think they’re valuable nonetheless,” said Maggie Moroff, a special education policy...
-
05.31.2016 | Politico New York | “From what we see with the kids we work with, these programs are worth expanding, they work, and they prevent disciplinary incidents from occurring,” said Sweet, the director of Advocates for Children, in an interview. “Our issue is just that we need more of it,...
-
05.26.2016 | Gotham Gazette | Advocates for Children began the School Justice Project to address the root causes of suspension and help keep students out of the criminal justice system. The project also helps students in juvenile detention or those returning from detention stay on track to...
-
05.17.2016 | Chalkbeat New York | Advocates who have been pushing for more inclusion for [District 75] students say it should continue to exist, even though figuring out exactly who it is for “is a really hard question,” according to Maggie Moroff, special education policy coordinator at...
-
May 2016 | Voices in Urban Education (VUE) | The Turning 5 work group – a collaboration between Advocates for Children of New York, the New York City Department of Education, and other partner organizations – provides support to families of students with disabilities facing the challenges of...
-
04.29.2016 | DNA Info | Until this spring, only students with special needs were eligible for the alternative graduation credit program. Disabilities advocates, however, fought to expand it to all students, arguing that schools needed an incentive to bolster these career-focused programs and put...
-
03.31.2016 | In response to today’s release of data pursuant to the Student Safety Act, Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), released the following statement: The continued decline in suspensions is good news for the New York City public schools and the...
-
04.20.2016 | Chalkbeat New York | Zeroing in on students’ specific needs is baked into the curriculum. Since every student is somehow behind, teachers focus on making sure students master foundational skills before moving on. ... Brooklyn Frontiers’ approach was recently praised in an Advocates for...
-
03.31.2016 | New York Daily News | For the first time, the city released data on how many students were transported by EMS from district schools. About 14%, or 601 of the 4,305 transports were related to the emotional or psychological condition of students. “This supports calls for expanding mental...
-
03.31.2016 | Chalkbeat New York | Advocates have long criticized schools that resort to 911 calls to deal with disorderly students instead of employing other strategies to diffuse conflicts. A 2014 settlement barred schools from making 911 calls before trying to de-escalate the situation. “This...