Policy Resources

Policy Report

Access Denied: School Accessibility in New York City

This October 2018 data brief finds that less than one in five of the City’s schools is categorized by the DOE as “fully accessible.” The report urges the City to use the forthcoming capital plan to reach an ambitious and attainable goal—making a third of all schools fully accessible by 2024.

Oct 10, 2018

Testimony & Public Comment

AFC Writes Chancellor Carranza Regarding Busing Problems

AFC sent a letter to Chancellor Carranza regarding start-of-school problems with busing. The letter shared a number of cases that are illustrative of what families, especially families of students with disabilities, routinely experience.

Sep 27, 2018

Open book lying on the table in the public library.

Press Statement

Response to the Release of the 2018 English Language Arts & Math Test Scores

In response to the release of the third through eighth grade English Language Arts (ELA) and Math test scores, Kim Sweet, Executive Director, issued the following statement.

Sep 26, 2018

Testimony & Public Comment

AFC Testifies on School Emergency Preparedness and Safety

AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Public Safety and Committee on Education regarding a proposal to establish a school emergency preparedness task force and a resolution calling for one guidance counselor and social worker for every 250 students and at least one guidance counselor and social worker per school.

Sep 20, 2018

Side view portrait of smiling Black woman using a wheelchair.

Testimony & Public Comment

The ARISE Coalition & PIE Call for Investments in School Accessibility in the FY 2020-2024 Capital Plan

Members of the ARISE Coalition (which is coordinated by AFC) and Parents for Inclusive Education (PIE) sent a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio asking that the City include a major investment in the FY 2020-2024 School Construction Authority Five-Year Capital Plan to make at least one-third of schools accessible to students, parents, and teachers with physical disabilities.

Sep 12, 2018

Boy with with cerebral palsy in special chair playing with a textured ball.

Testimony & Public Comment

AFC Comments on State Early Intervention Program Regulations

AFC submitted comments in response to the New York State Department of Health’s proposed changes to the state Early Intervention Program regulations.

Aug 31, 2018

Students raising their hands in a classroom.

Testimony & Public Comment

AFC Comments on the Implementation of New York’s Approved ESSA Plan

Advocates for Children of New York submitted comments to the New York State Education Department on proposed amendments to the regulations regarding New York’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) accountability system. Our comments discuss the proposed definition of “out-of-school suspension rate” as well as the State’s method for calculating chronic absenteeism.

Aug 17, 2018

Teen girl with rainbow-colored hair squats in the corner of a classroom, looking at the floor.

Testimony & Public Comment

AFC Comments on Proposed Amendments to Regulations about the Dignity for All Students Act

AFC submitted comments to the New York State Education Department in support of proposed amendments to regulations regarding the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). We appreciate NYSED’s efforts to clarify that DASA protects all aspects of gender identity and expression and provide suggestions for further clarifying and strengthening the language.

Jul 21, 2018

Preschooler in a yellow dress cuts a sheet of red construction paper.

Testimony & Public Comment

AFC Testifies on Early Childhood Education Programs

AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education and Committee on General Welfare about how 3-K, Pre-K, and EarlyLearn can better serve students who are homeless, Dual Language Learners, and students with disabilities.

Jun 27, 2018

Yellow pencils on top of a black and white composition notebook. (Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash)

Press Statement

AFC Responds to the Adoption of the New York City FY 2019 Budget

Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), issued the following statement in response to the New York City Council’s vote to adopt the Fiscal Year 2019 city budget.

Jun 14, 2018

Leading the Way for NYC Schools: Recommendations for the Next Administration

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