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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AFC submitted testimony to the New York City Council Committee on Education regarding the proposed bill to equip all exit doors in elementary school buildings and buildings accommodating District 75 programs with an alarm system.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education on the need to improve charter school accountability and oversight, particularly with regard to discipline policies and the recruitment, enrollment, and retention of students with disabilities and English Language Learners. AFC supports the Council’s bill calling for reports to the DOE on student demographic data for all co-located schools.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committees on General Welfare, Juvenile Justice, and Women’s Issues about the impact of the FY 2015 Preliminary Budget on early learning programs, and the importance of providing adequate funding for high-quality early childhood education programs for young children from low-income backgrounds.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education and Committee on Women’s Issues in support of New York City’s plan to create a new funding stream to pay for a rapid expansion of Universal Pre-K.
AFC submitted testimony for the New York State Education Budget Hearing, applauding the Governor’s call to make pre-k truly universal, but pointing out that the funding in the budget proposal is insufficient to reach this goal. AFC calls on the Legislature to support Mayor de Blasio’s plan to expand pre-k rapidly in NYC and also makes recommendations regarding the Governor’s preschool special education reform, special education waiver, after-school, and anti-discrimination proposals.
AFC submitted comments to the New York State Education Department regarding proposed amendments to the State’s Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Flexibility Waiver. AFC commented on amendments addressing testing for students with disabilities and English Language Learners.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education, arguing that high-stakes standardized exit exams create unnecessary barriers to graduation.
AFC testified before the General Welfare and Women’s Issues Committees of the New York City Council regarding the implementation of EarlyLearn NYC. We are discussing the importance of increased funding to ensure that every child can participate in a high-quality early childhood education program.
AFC testified before the Education Committee of the New York City Council regarding the Department of Education’s special education reform. Our school system needs to change how it educates students with disabilities; however, change will not yield positive results unless it is well executed and adequately financed.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Juvenile Justice regarding the educational needs of students in the custody of the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) in non-secure placement through Close to Home.