03.14.2016 | AFC presented this white paper, Discipline for Students with Disabilities: Support Rather than Exclusion, the national conference of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA). The paper discusses the rights of students with disabilities to behavioral supports, and individual and systemic advocacy strategies that provide support for students with disabilities instead of excluding them from school. View white paper [PDF]
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Paige’s Story
Paige, a bright third grade student on the autism spectrum, sat at home for nearly two months waiting for a school placement that would meet her needs.
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01.27.2016 | Today, AFC is testifying at the New York State Joint Legislative Public Hearing on the 2016-2017 Elementary and Secondary Education Budget proposal, urging legislators to increase investments in education programs such as Career and Technical Education (CTE), prekindergarten, and support for English Language Learners (ELLs). Earlier this week, AFC also submitted testimony on the 2016-2017 Health Budget proposal, urging legislators to reject a budget proposal to restructure the Early Intervention screening and evaluation process and to increase funding for home visiting programs. View our Education Budget testimony [PDF] and our Health Budget testimony [PDF].
01.07.2016 | AFC joins our colleagues throughout New York in mourning the passing of Judith Kaye, the State’s former Chief Judge. We were privileged to partner with Judge Kaye in her advocacy to keep kids in school and out of courts. Judge Kaye knew that courts are no place for children to grow up. Thanks to her passionate, articulate, and effective leadership, we have seen school-justice partnerships take hold across the nation, with the goal of ending the school-to-prison pipeline and providing young people with safe and supportive learning environments. Judge Kaye was one of our heroes, and we will miss her greatly.
Judge Kaye speaks with student honoree Stash M. at AFC's 2010 Spring Benefit, at which she received the Jill Chaifetz Award in recognition of her work on behalf of New York's children and youth.
Judge Kaye announces the release of the report and recommendations of the New York City School-Justice Partnership Task Force (May 2013).
11.16.2015 | Children born in 2011 are eligible to enter kindergarten in September 2016, and there are steps that families can start taking now to prepare for this important milestone!
From November 16th through December 10th, the DOE is holding Kindergarten Orientation Meetings to provide information about the transition to kindergarten to families of students with disabilities born in 2011. These meetings will cover the kindergarten admissions process and the process of developing a kindergarten IEP. The schedule is available in English [PDF] and in other languages.
From December 1st through December 16th, the DOE is holding Kindergarten Information Sessions to provide information about the kindergarten admissions process to families of all students born in 2011. The schedule is available here.
Please encourage families to attend these meetings!
Advocates for Children of New York has updated two resources to help families with the transition to kindergarten.
Updated Kindergarten Admissions Guide:
All families with children born in 2011 are encouraged to participate in the DOE’s kindergarten admissions process. Families can apply to up to 12 schools using one application form. They can complete this application form online, over the phone, or in person at a Family Welcome Center between December 7, 2015 and January 15, 2016. Please note that the application period is one month earlier than it has been in the past. For more information, please review and share AFC’s Kindergarten Admissions Guide, available in English [PDF] and Spanish [PDF].
Updated Turning 5 Guide:
In addition to applying to kindergarten, families with children born in 2011 who have IEPs will be participating in a second process—development of kindergarten IEPs. For comprehensive information about the transition to kindergarten for students with disabilities, please review and share AFC’s Turning 5 Guide, available in English [PDF] and Spanish [PDF].
We also encourage you to review and share the DOE’s kindergarten materials:
- Kindergarten Admissions for All Students: www.nyc.gov/schools/kindergarten
- Transition to Kindergarten for Students with Disabilities: http://schools.nyc.gov/kindergartenspecialeducation
Both websites have very helpful information for families of children born in 2011.
We hope these resources will help you navigate the transition to kindergarten! If you have questions, please call AFC’s Education Helpline at 866-427-6033. Our Helpline is open from Monday – Thursday, 10:00am – 4:00pm.
November 2015 | This year marks the 40th anniversary of the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (formerly called the Education for All Handicapped Children Act), which was signed into law by President Gerald Ford on November 29, 1975. This landmark legislation, which underlies almost all of Advocates for Children’s work on behalf of students with disabilities, ensured access to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment for every child in the United States. Prior to 1975, the majority of children with disabilities were excluded from public school entirely, segregated from their non-disabled peers in sub-par settings, or left without the services and supports they needed to make educational progress. While there remains much work to be done to ensure students with disabilities not only have a seat in the classroom, but receive a quality education and equal access to opportunities once there, we mark this milestone by paying tribute to the families and advocates who paved the way.
Read a letter from Executive Director Kim Sweet [PDF] marking this milestone.
For more on the history of the IDEA, see the U.S. Department of Education's website.
A few AFC staff members reflect on what the IDEA means to them.
10.30.2015 | Today AFC submitted comments on the New York City Department of Education’s Proposed Community Schools Policy, which we view as an important vehicle for creating shared language and expectations around the City’s Community Schools Initiative. View comments [PDF]
10.26.2015 | On the evening of November 19, the ARISE Coalition (which is coordinated by AFC) and the Mental Health Association of New York City will be co-sponsoring a panel and parent speak out on behavior supports for students with disabilities. Download a larger, PDF version of the flyer in English and Spanish.
10.14.2015 | Congratulations to AFC Board member Caroline J. Heller, who has been named head of the firmwide Pro Bono Program at Greenberg Traurig, LLP! In addition to serving on our Board of Directors, Caroline is a superstar pro bono attorney. Last year, an 11-year-old AFC client, for whom Caroline secured placement in a private special education school, wrote her to say, "I think this letter is not enough to tell you thank you for everything you did for me. I really love my school. Not all kids have this chance but God helped to put you in my life. I’m so happy. My mom helped me to write this letter. She is so, so happy, she thinks everything is possible in this life. Thanks again and again and again."
10.01.2015 | For many years, AFC has been a federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. Today we are proud to announce the launch of the New York Region 1 PTIC Collaborative. Thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, we will be working with IncludeNYC, Sinergia, and the Long Island Advocacy Center to provide training and information to families of children with disabilities, as well as the professionals that work with them, throughout New York City and Long Island.