10.01.2015 | Today both AFC and the ARISE Coalition, which is coordinated by AFC, are testifying before the City Council Committee on Education about the new DOE structure for supporting schools and families. We are pleased that the new DOE structure includes a Family Support Coordinator in each Superintendent’s office who is responsible for addressing families’ concerns. In order for Family Support Coordinators to be effective, we have several recommendations. View AFC's testimony [PDF] and the ARISE Coalition's testimony [PDF].
Need Help?
Call AFC's Education Helpline
(866) 427-6033
Monday to Thursday
10 am to 4 pm
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.
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.
News & Media
Newsfeed
09.21.2015 | AFC has created a brand-new fact sheet, Questions & Answers About Literacy [PDF] (also available in Spanish [PDF]), for families of students who are struggling with reading. The fact sheet explains how to get help for your child and some of the services and supports available for struggling readers.
In addition, we also have a new fact sheet on language access for immigrant families, Translation and Interpretation Services in New York City Public Schools [PDF] (also available in Spanish [PDF] and Chinese [PDF]). The fact sheet explains the rights of public school parents who do not speak English and how to get translation and interpretation services.
We have recently updated many of our other fact sheets to include the latest information, including:
- New York City High School Promotion and Graduation Requirements [PDF]
- High School Graduation Options for Students with Disabilities [PDF]
- High School Promotion and Graduation Policy for English Language Learners (ELLs) [PDF]
- Promotion Policy for English Language Learners (ELLs) in Grades K—8 [PDF]
- Enrollment in New York City Public Schools for Immigrant Families [PDF]
- Questions and Answers about Charter Schools [PDF]
- Rights of Students with Disabilities in Charter Schools [PDF]
To download translations, or to view even more publications on a variety of education-related topics, please visit our resource library.
09.02.2015 | The first day of school is Wednesday, September 9! In preparation, we've updated our back-to-school fact sheet for families of students with disabilities, which covers concerns that typically come up at this time of year, such as what to do if a child does not yet have a school assignment or the school assigned says they cannot serve the child’s needs; how to find an accessible school; and arranging for specialized transportation. View the fact sheet in English [PDF] and Spanish [PDF].
If you have additional questions or need assistance, call AFC’s Education Helpline: (866) 427-6033, Monday—Thursday, 10am—4pm.
08.12.2015 | In July 2015, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) changed the structure of the offices that support schools, students, and families. We want to give you information about the new structure and let you know how to get help, especially since one of the DOE’s goals of the new structure is to make it easier for parents to get help.
If you cannot resolve problems at the school level, you should contact the superintendent’s office.
All DOE public schools other than specialized District 75 or District 79 schools are located in a geographic district (1-32). To find the district of your child’s school, go to the school’s website and look on the right hand side, or enter your child’s school on the DOE’s website, schools.nyc.gov. Each district has a community superintendent who supervises the principals of elementary and middle schools in the district. In addition, there are 11 high school superintendents who supervise the principals of high schools in one or more districts.
In the past, families could contact an office called the Children First Network when they could not resolve problems at the school level. However, most Children First Networks have closed. Under the new structure, families should contact the superintendent’s office. Each superintendent’s office will have a Family Support Coordinator who is responsible for working with families to resolve problems. If your superintendent’s office does not yet have a Family Support Coordinator, the superintendent’s office will tell you which staff member will assist you. Each office also has a District Family Advocate, who works on family engagement.
A list of superintendents, Family Support Coordinators, District Family Advocates, and contact information is available on the DOE's website. This list is still being formed, as people are still being hired. You can also find the phone number for the district superintendent’s office on the right hand side of the website of your child’s school.
District 75:
Families of students with disabilities who attend specialized District 75 schools should continue to contact the central District 75 superintendent’s office when you are not able to get a problem resolved at the school level.
District 79:
Families of students who attend District 79 alternative schools and programs should continue to contact the central District 79 superintendent’s office when you are not able to get a problem resolved.
Students with disabilities in preschool, charter schools, and private schools:
The ten regional Committee on Special Education (CSE) offices will continue to be responsible for special education services for preschoolers, charter school students, and private school students with disabilities.
If you have questions about your child’s education or are having trouble resolving a problem, you can call AFC’s Education Helpline at 866-427-6033. Our Helpline is open from Monday-Thursday, 10am-4pm.
08.05.2015 | Today AFC and the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) jointly submitted comments in response to the New York City Department of Education's proposal to amend Chancellor's Regulation A-101 relating to student admissions, discharges, and transfers. We believe that there are opportunities to strengthen the proposed amendments in order to ensure that unaccompanied minors, undocumented youth, children and youth experiencing homelessness, and students with disabilities have meaningful access to a free public education. View comments [PDF]
07.23.2015 | Today the office of Mayor Bill de Blasio released the Phase I report of the Mayoral Leadership Team on School Climate and Discipline. AFC advocated for the creation of the Leadership Team through our work on the School-Justice Partnership Task Force [PDF], and Executive Director Kim Sweet is serving on the Leadership Team and co-chairing the School Climate Working Group. The report's recommendations focus on reducing the use of suspensions, summonses, and arrests in schools by providing extensive training and ongoing support for school personnel, increasing the number of guidance counselors and social workers, improving mechanisms for coordination of services, and re-visiting some of the processes for evaluating schools. Read the report
06.29.2015 | AFC has a new fact sheet explaining the available appeal options for students whose Regents exam scores are keeping them from graduating from high school. Typically, students must pass five Regents exams, with scores of 65 or higher, in order to graduate. However, in certain cases, students can appeal their lower Regents exam scores and still graduate. View the fact sheet in English [PDF] or Spanish [PDF].
06.09.2015 | Today AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Finance to request that the final budget include increased funding for Committee on Special Education staff and increased funding for progressive discipline support. View testimony [PDF]
William (Bill) Jesinkey, the founding Executive Director of Advocates for Children and a leader in special education in New York City, died on December 25, 2014, at the age of 80. Bill was a brilliant and imaginative thinker and practical doer, who throughout his career was able to bring people and groups together and use untapped resources to create outstanding educational programs and services for the City’s neediest students.
Bill grew up in South Brooklyn, graduated from Manhattan College, and received a Masters degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. In 1960, he became a teacher in the City’s public school system, working in the “600 schools,” which at the time warehoused students—almost entirely Black and Latino boys—who were thrown out of other schools because of behavior problems. Bill found that most of the kids he worked with had emotional and other disabilities that interfered with their learning, but despite state and federal laws mandating and funding services for students with disabilities, they were not even considered for appropriate educational services.
In the early 1970s, based on his unique experience and knowledge, and using his leadership and organizing skills, Bill undertook a campaign to challenge what he saw as the denial of students’ educational rights. He brought together concerned groups and individuals to pool resources and obtain foundation and public funding to create the organization that became Advocates for Children. The mission of the organization—which guides AFC to this day—was to provide educational advocacy for individual kids and families and, based on issues emerging from its cases, work for systemic public education reform through research, organizing, administrative negotiation, and impact litigation. Bill’s influential “Lost Children” report, documenting the school system’s failure to provide appropriate educational services to the most disadvantaged students, was AFC’s first publication.
In parallel effort, Bill formed a partnership with a group of Christian Brothers in Queens who were working in parochial schools and were frustrated by their inability to help the young people in their community. Together they established the Martin de Porres School, an exemplary special education school for children and youth with emotional disabilities. The school remains in existence today, along with a related, independent program, the Martin de Porres Group Homes, which serves students who need residential care.
Bill was committed to public education, and once AFC and Martin de Porres were firmly established, he returned to the school system, working as a special educator. In 1983, he was appointed by the Chancellor of the City’s public schools as Superintendent of the Division of Special Education. As Superintendent, Bill worked tirelessly to create and provide quality educational programs and services to students with severe disabilities and to persuade principals across the system to consider these kids as their children.
After he retired from the school system, Bill continued to apply his leadership and knowledge to special and public education projects. He maintained his relationship with AFC throughout his life, and his selfless, passionate efforts resulted in quality educational services for thousands of students. He was an inspirational mentor who leaves a wonderful legacy in the countless teachers and advocates he influenced. Bill’s obituary card aptly quoted the statement of Francis of Assisi, “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
By Jane Stern, former Executive Director of AFC, and Richard Sexton, former AFC Board Member.
04.24.2015 | The ARISE Coalition (which is coordinated by Advocates for Children), is launching a campaign to improve literacy instruction for students with disabilities. See our Call to Action [PDF] (also available in Spanish [PDF] and Chinese [PDF]) for more details, and visit the Coalition's Change.org page to send a letter to Chancellor Fariña (a copy of the letter to the Chancellor is also available in Spanish [PDF]). On the evening of May 18, ARISE will be sponsoring a panel and parent speak out on literacy instruction for students with disabilities. Download a larger, PDF version of the flyer in English and Spanish.