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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Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), issued the following statement in response to the release of the City’s Fiscal Year 2019 Preliminary Budget.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education on diversity and inclusion in City schools.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Public Safety regarding the NYPD’s role in school discipline and matters of mental health. We are calling for a realignment of City resources to reflect the critical need to appropriately support students’ social-emotional needs and address the striking racial disparities in police interventions.
This report analyzes data reported by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) showing that Black students are significantly over-represented in NYPD “child in crisis” interventions – incidents involving students in emotional distress sent to the hospital for psychological evaluation. The brief also examines the NYPD’s use of handcuffs on students as young as 5 years old during these incidents between July 2016 and June 2017.
Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), issued the following statement in response to the New York City Department of Education’s annual report of information regarding students receiving special education services pursuant to Local Law 27.
AFC testified before the City Council Education Committee offering several recommendations to prevent and address bullying behavior, including expanding whole-school trainings that improve school climate, better utilizing existing data, better utilizing Field Support Center personnel, increasing awareness of anti-bullying resources, and improving reporting.
AFC submitted written testimony to the New York State Assembly Committee on Education about the need to increase the number of accessible school options for students, teachers, and family members with mobility, hearing, and vision needs.
AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education and Committee on General Welfare about support for students who are homeless. We are calling on the City to ensure there is high-level leadership on this issue, expand the number of DOE social workers for these students, and devote additional resources to address the significant challenges faced by the rising number of students who are homeless.
The New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students (NYS-TEACHS), a project of Advocates for Children of New York, posted new data showing the number of students identified as homeless enrolled in New York City and New York State schools for the 2016–2017 school year.