In March 2011, the ARISE Coalition, a group of parents, educators, advocates and other supporters of students with disabilities coordinated by Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), released this policy paper calling on New York City and New York State to follow the law with respect to transition planning and to give post-secondary transition for students with special education needs the same high priority they are beginning to give college and career readiness for other students.

This briefing paper profiles nine young adults who were able to earn their high school diploma only because the local diploma, which the state is phasing out, existed. The paper calls on officials to develop alternative pathways to earn a regular high school diploma.

There are more than 15,000 students in the New York City public schools who came to this country having missed two years or more of schooling. These students – known as Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE) – present particular challenges for educators trying to raise the 40% on-time graduation rate for English Language Learners (ELLs). This report examines the data on the SIFE population, profiles twelve immigrant students who should have been identified as SIFE by their schools, and uses their experiences to show how the New York City Department of Education and individual schools try and often fail to meet their needs.

This 2009 report by AFC and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) studied the restructuring of two large Brooklyn high schools to understand how the small schools movement impacted English Language Learners (ELLs). The report illustrates how as a result of this movement, ELLs—who experience some of the lowest graduation rates in the city—are left with fewer and fewer options or are simply left behind.

The past seven years of education reform have not significantly improved outcomes, experiences or services for New York City’s 160,000 public school students with disabilities, according to Educate! Include! Respect!, a report issued April 2009 by the ARISE Coalition, a group of parents, educators, advocates, and other supporters of students with disabilities coordinated by AFC.

Over 60% of children in New York City public schools are immigrants or the children of immigrants, but this 2009 report shows that immigrant families face significant obstacles to participating in their children’s education. The report, written in collaboration with immigrant advocates and community groups throughout the city, shows that many immigrant parents remain shut out of school activities and leadership opportunities. The report offers a number of concrete solutions for building stronger and more meaningful partnerships between schools, immigrant parents, and community leaders.

This report profiles a diverse cross-section of over-age middle school students, identifies promising practices for addressing the problem, and provides detailed recommendations to the DOE.

This issue brief summarizes the findings of AFC’s survey of 145 New York City youth on the factors that cause students to leave school.  The brief provides insight into the educational experiences and aspirations of out-of-school youth in New York City.

An estimated 138,000 New York City students are over-age and under-credited and are out of school or at-risk for dropping out. The New York City Department of Education began creating new programming specifically for these students, but some students are left with dead ends under the current system. This briefing paper examines the ability of the new schools to meet the instructional needs of English Language Learners (ELLs), students with special education needs, students who are older with few or no credits, and students who are pregnant and parenting.

Approximately 13,000 students with disabilities exit the New York City public school system each year. This report examines the efforts of the NYC Department of Education to prepare these youth for independent living, vocational training, employment, higher education, and other post-secondary opportunities.