7.26.2012 | AFC is co-hosting a community forum on bullying on August 1. Learn more and RSVP at http://action.advocate.nyc.gov/bullying.
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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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07.10.2012 | AFC has received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator, in recognition of sound fiscal management practices and commitment to accountability and transparency. This is the fifth time that AFC has earned this top distinction in the last six years. View AFC's full rating.
06.20.2012 | AFC and New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI) filed a complaint today with the Office for Civil Rights of the United States Department of Education against the DOE for its systemic failure to provide translation and interpretation services to tens of thousands of limited English proficient (LEP) parents, in violation of local, state, and federal civil rights laws. Read the complaint [PDF] and the press release [PDF]. All exhibits, including parent affidavits, are available on file with AFC.
06.18.2012 | On June 18, 2012, AFC released a policy paper entitled "Essential Voices: Including Student and Parent Input in Teacher Evaluation." This paper makes the case for student and parent input in teacher evaluation in New York City and describes efforts other states and districts are undertaking to incorporate student and/or parent feedback into their own teacher evaluation systems. Read the paper [PDF]
06.12.2012 | AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education about the importance of mandatory kindergarten and the need to address concerns regarding the city’s special education reform. The ARISE Coalition, coordinated by AFC, testified as well.
View AFC's testimony [PDF]
View the ARISE Coalition's testimony [PDF]
06.06.2012 | AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Finance, urging Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council to reject the devastating proposal to cut 47,000 children from early childhood education and after-school programs. View testimony [PDF]
06.05.2012 | AFC testified before the Office of School and Youth Development, New York City Department of Education regarding the importance to changes in the discipline code that would lead away from schools' use of punishment and exclusion and towards positive, school-wide approaches to discipline and safety that improve school climate, reduce conflict, and increase learning. View testimony [PDF]
05.23.2012 | The ARISE Coalition and AFC have each released new publications to help parents understand their rights in the special education reform. The Coalition’s “Special Education Reform Fact Sheet” stresses that parents’ rights have not changed. Download the fact sheet in English [PDF] or Spanish [PDF]. AFC’s “Kindergarten Placement for Students with IEPs” focuses specifically on the “Turning 5” placement process. Download the fact sheet in English [PDF] or Spanish [PDF].
05.15.2012 | In 1996, the New York State Education Department set in motion the phase out of the local diploma in an effort to have all students fulfill the requirements for the more rigorous Regents diploma. After 15 years of phase out and a last-minute proposal to extend the local diploma only for students with disabilities, up to 14,000 general education students in New York State who still rely on the local diploma to graduate from high school will now fail to graduate this June because the local diploma will no longer be available to them. Most will be Black, Hispanic, English Language Learners, poor, and in large urban areas. The Coalition for Multiple Pathways to a Diploma urges the State to take a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to creating alternative pathways to a high school diploma. Until New York develops multiple pathways to a diploma, however, we cannot eliminate current options, like the local diploma, that provide real opportunities for our young people. Learn what you can do to take action [PDF].
5.09.2012 | Advocates for Children of New York’s Spring Benefit on May 8, 2012 was a great success. Once again, The Rubin Museum was packed! Thank you to our over 500 supporters! Your continued generosity enables us to protect the education rights of every NYC child.
(Pictured left to right: Richard Beattie, recipient of Jill Chaifetz Award for Excellence in Educational Advocacy; Eric A. DeGiaimo, recipient of The Education Champion Award; and presenter, Harold Ford, Jr.)