AFC works to change education policy so that the public school system serves all children effectively. We publish policy reports and data analyses, testify at the City and State levels, speak out in the press to bring attention to the challenges facing the students and families we serve, and join with other advocates, parents, youth, and educators to call for change.
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Advocates for Children of New York (AFC) issued the following response to the release of the New York City Department of Education (DOE)’s suspension data report for the 2021-22 school year.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education about the need for the DOE to address delays in launching key programs funded by federal COVID-19 relief funds and for city, state, and federal elected leaders to begin planning to sustain long-overdue initiatives funded with this short-term funding.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities & Addiction and Committee on Youth Services to discuss the youth mental health crisis and urgent need for a comprehensive system to ensure that our young people have access to and receive behavioral and mental health supports in schools.
AFC submitted testimony to the New York City Council Committee on Oversight and Investigations and Committee on Finance regarding the DOE’s COVID-19 relief spending, asking the DOE to address delays in spending for important supports for students and urging city, state, and federal elected leaders to begin planning to sustain long-overdue initiatives funded by COVID-19 funding.
The 2021–22 school year marked the seventh consecutive year in which more than 100,000 New York City public school students experienced homelessness.
AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Youth Services about the need to ensure that the City’s summer programming provides needed support for all students, including students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students who are homeless.
AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education regarding our concern about the 800 preschoolers with significant disabilities who were waiting for seats in their legally mandated preschool special education classes as of June 2022.
Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), issued the following statement in response to the release of the 2022 New York State English Language Arts (ELA) test scores for New York City, showing that only 36% of Black and Hispanic students, 18% of students with disabilities, and 13% of English Language Learners (ELLs) in grades 3–8 are reading proficiently.
AFC and the ARISE Coalition (coordinated by AFC) testified before the City Council Committee on Education about the serious obstacles that students with disabilities and their families continue to experience every day on the ground. Every day, Advocates for Children hears from parents struggling to get their children with disabilities the education they need.
AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education about the impact of school budget cuts, calling on the City to restore funding for school budgets and also continue key investments targeted to students with the greatest needs.