AFC and the ARISE Coalition (coordinated by AFC) testified before the City Council Committee on Finance regarding the FY 23 Executive Budget, urging the City to invest in targeted initiatives to support English Language Learners, students with disabilities, students who are homeless or in foster care, and students with mental health needs.

AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on English Language Learners and immigrant students and families, and three proposals that advocates believe will have a positive impact on ELLs and immigrant families.

Mayor-elect Eric Adams will take office at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the longstanding inequities in our City’s schools. Based on our 50 years of on-the-ground experience helping students and families navigate the largest school system in the country and get the support they need to learn, we outline some of the most pressing challenges in public education — including those that pre-date COVID — where the incoming Mayor must be prepared to focus attention, energy, and resources.

AFC and the ARISE Coalition (coordinated by AFC) testified before the City Council Committee on Education on the continued work needed to strengthen the DOE’s academic recovery plans this year. While we appreciate that the City is using this funding for some important initiatives, we worry there is still inadequate detail about how the funding will be used, inadequate funding for key priorities, and too much discretion and responsibility left to individual schools that already have their hands full reopening schools and keeping school communities safe.

AFC testified before the New York State Senate Education Committee on the DOE’s use of increased state and federal education funding; specifically, how the funding is being used to meet the needs of students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students experiencing homelessness—students who were hit particularly hard by the closure of schools.

This policy brief highlights disparities in school attendance during the pandemic and calls on the City to invest in an ambitious Education Recovery Plan that ensures all students can receive the academic and social-emotional support they need as they return to school.

With the federal government having approved the largest one-time investment in education in our nation’s history, NYC needs an ambitious education initiative to pave the way to hope and opportunity for this generation of students. Such a plan must invest resources in academic support, mental health support, and outreach and engagement. It must be targeted to assist students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including the provision of specialized instruction and support where needed. This plan outlines our recommendations for steps the City should take.

AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education and Committee on Health regarding the reopening of City schools. As the City continues working on the health and safety measures needed to protect school communities from COVID-19 this year, the City must also redouble its outreach efforts and provide individualized support to families of students who are not regularly engaging in remote learning.

This June 2020 policy brief shows that there are approximately 3,700 students in New York State who will age out of school this year and lose their chance to earn a diploma. They are disproportionately students of color, students with disabilities, and English Language Learners. The brief calls on the State Education Department to issue guidance directing districts to allow all students aging out of school without a diploma to return to high school next year.

AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education about remote learning and the impact of COVID-19 on the City’s schools, focusing on the challenges our clients have experienced and the need for the DOE to address the barriers students are facing so they can participate in remote summer school.