AFC submitted comments to the New York State Department of Health in response to proposed changes to the Early Intervention Program regulations, and concerns about proposed amendments that do not comport with legal requirements and would be harmful to children and families.
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.
Call to Action to Sustain Education Programs Funded with Expiring Federal COVID-19 Relief
More than 170 organizations are calling on New York leaders to save critical education programs currently supported by temporary federal stimulus funding set to run dry in 2024.217 Results Found
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education about the need for the DOE to address delays in launching key programs funded by federal COVID-19 relief funds and for city, state, and federal elected leaders to begin planning to sustain long-overdue initiatives funded with this short-term funding.
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities & Addiction and Committee on Youth Services to discuss the youth mental health crisis and urgent need for a comprehensive system to ensure that our young people have access to and receive behavioral and mental health supports in schools.
AFC submitted testimony to the New York City Council Committee on Oversight and Investigations and Committee on Finance regarding the DOE’s COVID-19 relief spending, asking the DOE to address delays in spending for important supports for students and urging city, state, and federal elected leaders to begin planning to sustain long-overdue initiatives funded by COVID-19 funding.
AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Youth Services about the need to ensure that the City’s summer programming provides needed support for all students, including students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and students who are homeless.
AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education regarding our concern about the 800 preschoolers with significant disabilities who were waiting for seats in their legally mandated preschool special education classes as of June 2022.
AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education about the serious obstacles that students with disabilities and their families continue to experience every day on the ground. Every day, Advocates for Children hears from parents struggling to get their children with disabilities the education they need.
AFC testified before the City Council Committee on Education about the impact of school budget cuts, calling on the City to restore funding for school budgets and also continue key investments targeted to students with the greatest needs.
AFC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights recommending changes to the federal regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
AFC submitted comments to the State Education Department supporting changes to regulations to increase the minimum number of hours of home instruction and establish a new process for requesting home instruction, as well as suggesting further changes.