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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    Building a Network of Support: The Case for a DOE Office for Students in Foster Care
    Students line up on socially distanced dots painted on the sidewalk to wait their turn to have their temperatures checked before entering Middletown High School.
  • Policy Report
    • Building a Network of Support: The Case for a DOE Office for Students in Foster Care

    This May 2021 AFC and Legal Aid Society report highlights the urgent need for the Department of Education to launch a small office focused solely on the needs of students in foster care. Currently, the DOE does not have an office, team, or even a single staff member dedicated to supporting the 6,000 New York City youth in foster care, a group of students particularly in need of specialized support.

    May 4, 2021

    AFC Urges DOE to Follow NYSED Guidance and Extend Eligibility to Students at Risk of Aging Out
    Teenage girl talking with teacher while sitting in classroom (Photo by Cavan for Adobe, Adobe Stock)
  • Press Statement
    • AFC Urges DOE to Follow NYSED Guidance and Extend Eligibility to Students at Risk of Aging Out

    Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), issued the following statement in response to new State guidance strongly encouraging school districts to provide over-age high school students the opportunity to return to school next year to finish meeting requirements for a high school diploma, diploma endorsement or exit credential.

    Apr 15, 2021

    Delayed Interventions: Early Indicators of the Pandemic’s Impact on Infants and Toddlers
    A toddler sits on the floor with legos and blocks. (Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels)
  • Policy Report
    • Delayed Interventions: Early Indicators of the Pandemic’s Impact on Infants and Toddlers

    This January 2021 data brief examines the steep decline during the COVID-19 pandemic in the number of infants and toddlers referred to the New York City Early Intervention (EI) program to address concerns about their development. As a result of the drop in referrals, thousands of young children with developmental delays or disabilities missed the chance for intervention at the time it is most effective.

    Jan 15, 2021

    Student Homelessness in New York City, 2019–20
    Close up of students writing on exam answer sheets in a classroom. (Photo by arrowsmith2, Adobe Stock)
  • Issue Brief
    • Student Homelessness in New York City, 2019–20

    The New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students (NYS-TEACHS), a project of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), posted new data showing that more than 111,000 New York City students—approximately one in ten children enrolled in district or charter schools—were identified as homeless during the 2019-20 school year. In the Bronx, approximately one in six students was homeless.

    Dec 3, 2020

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