Stack of books against a blurred background. (Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash)

Policy Resources

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.

Leading the Way for NYC Schools: Recommendations for the Next Administration
  • Policy Agenda

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

    Based on our experience helping thousands of NYC families each year, we urge the next Mayor to take on big challenges with bold ideas and stand firm in the face of threats to students’ civil rights.
    Closeup of student holding a pencil in class

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    AFC Writes to Mayor Adams Regarding Planned Education Budget Cuts
    Sneakered feet of a student standing on a pile of books to reach a higher library shelf. (Photo by Cottonbro Studio via Pexels)
  • Testimony & Public Comment
    • AFC Writes to Mayor Adams Regarding Planned Education Budget Cuts

    AFC sent a letter to Mayor Adams emphasizing, in advance of education budget cuts being planned for November, that the City’s obligation to uphold students’ legal rights remains unchanged. As the budget process moves forward, the City must ensure that its choices do not impede its ability to uphold students’ rights and comply with federal and state law, including special education law.

    Oct 16, 2023

    Access (Still) Denied: An Update on the Physical Inaccessibility of New York City Public Schools
    a public school where the entrance is at the top of a flight of stairs
  • Policy Report
    • Access (Still) Denied: An Update on the Physical Inaccessibility of New York City Public Schools

    This interactive report finds that only 31.1% of schools are fully accessible to students, parents, educators, and community members with physical disabilities as of the start of the 2023-24 school year. The report calls on the City to invest $1.25 billion—roughly 5-6% of its capital budget—in the forthcoming five-year Capital Plan to improve school accessibility.

    Aug 23, 2023

    Falling Short: NYC’s Failure to Provide Mandated Services for Preschoolers with Disabilities
    A female occupational therapist works with a young boy, using play-doh to work on the boy's gross motor skills. (Photo by FatCamera, iStock)
  • Issue Brief
    • Falling Short: NYC’s Failure to Provide Mandated Services for Preschoolers with Disabilities

    This June 2023 data analysis shows that 37% of all preschoolers with disabilities—a total 9,800 children—went the entire 2021–22 school year without receiving at least one of the types of services the DOE was legally required to provide, a systemic violation of students’ rights. The report analyzes DOE data, which likely significantly understate the magnitude of the problem, and makes recommendations for needed changes moving forward.

    Jun 6, 2023

    AFC Testifies on the New York City FY 2024 Preliminary Health & Mental Health Budget
    New York City City Hall Building
  • Testimony & Public Comment
    • AFC Testifies on the New York City FY 2024 Preliminary Health & Mental Health Budget

    AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities and Addiction and the Committee on Health on the need for school-based social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health services, and for extending funding for the Mental Health Continuum, which will expire in June.

    Mar 24, 2023

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