Este informe de febrero de 2015 describe los hallazgos obtenidos a partir de la revisión de la AFC de 164 políticas disciplinarias de escuelas autónomas de la ciudad de Nueva York obtenidas a través de solicitudes de la Ley de Libertad de Información. Un número significativo de escuelas autónomas de la ciudad tienen políticas disciplinarias que no cumplen con los requisitos legales, lo que genera violaciones de los derechos civiles de los estudiantes y los padres. El informe incluye recomendaciones para que los legisladores estatales las consideren mientras discuten aumentar el límite de las escuelas charter y garantizar que las escuelas charter atiendan a los estudiantes con grandes necesidades.

AFC testified on the proposed state education budget for 2015–2016, urging the Legislature to increase funding for pre-K, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and to support English Language Learners (ELLs) and immigrant students; reject the Executive Budget special education waiver proposal; modify the charter school proposal to ensure that charter schools serve high-needs populations; support the proposal to establish regional rates for Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) services; and increase education funding overall.

AFC testified at the City Council Committee on General Welfare oversight hearing on EarlyLearn. EarlyLearn programs need adequate funding, training, technical assistance, and support to serve all eligible preschool students, including those who need additional support in order to succeed in the classroom and prepare for kindergarten.

Today Advocates for Children testified before the City Council Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disability, Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Disability Services on the importance of the Early Intervention program.

AFC testified before the City Council’s Education Committee about diversity in NYC schools. Ensuring that students from diverse backgrounds have access to high-achieving schools and programs is critical, but is only one step. As the City Council strives to ensure that every school and program in NYC serves a diverse group of students, the City and DOE need to prepare schools to provide an excellent education to these students. Schools need resources, training, and the development of specialized programs to meet the needs of all students, including English Language Learners and students with disabilities.

AFC testified at the New York City Council Committee on Education’s oversight hearing on special education instruction and student achievement. Our testimony focuses on the need to improve literacy instruction, including for students with disabilities.

AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education regarding guidance counselors in schools and expanding college access for all students.

AFC testified at a Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Behavioral Health System Planning Forum on the need for DOHMH to work with the DOE to improve the mental health system for New York City’s students so they can stay and succeed in school.

Más de 50.000 estudiantes de secundaria (una cuarta parte de los estudiantes de las escuelas secundarias públicas de la ciudad de Nueva York) se han quedado atrás al menos una vez, y más de 8.500 estudiantes se han quedado atrás al menos tres veces. A pesar de sus importantes necesidades académicas y socioemocionales, hay menos de 450 plazas en programas para estudiantes de secundaria mayores de edad en las escuelas públicas y charter tradicionales de la ciudad. Este informe de políticas de septiembre de 2014 llama la atención sobre las necesidades únicas de los estudiantes de secundaria mayores y proporciona al Departamento de Educación (DOE) de la ciudad de Nueva York recomendaciones para mejorar los resultados para esta población.

AFC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education regarding disproportionality under Section 618(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Our comments focus on racial disproportionality in the identification, placement, and discipline of children with disabilities in New York City.