AFC thanks the New York City Council for passing Intro 857-A, amending existing public school reporting requirements to provide data on students in foster care. We are especially grateful to Council Member Rita Joseph, Chair of the Committee on Education, and her staff for championing this legislation and getting it across the finish line.

Youth in the foster system face significant educational challenges: they are more likely to be suspended from school, are over-represented in segregated special education settings, and drop out of high school at more than quadruple the Citywide rate. For far too long, data showing these disparities have been hidden from public view — and the unique needs of students in foster care have been overlooked. Publicly reporting data on this population will shine a light on inequities and, most critically, help policymakers develop targeted solutions that ensure students in the foster system receive the support they need and deserve.