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.
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For the tenth year in a row, more than 100,000 students experienced homelessness during the 2024–25 school year—with the number topping 150,000 students for the first time.
This brief summarizes data on a subset of the more than 146,000 New York City students who were identified as homeless during the 2023–24 school year.
Excellent public schools are essential to making New York City an attractive place to live and raise a family and to ensuring a strong foundation for our City’s future. Regardless of what happens at the federal level in the years ahead, it will be essential for New York City Public Schools to remain focused on the critical task of ensuring all young people receive the support they need to learn and thrive. Based on our experience helping thousands of New York City families each year, we urge the next Mayoral Administration to take on big challenges with bold ideas and stand firm in the face of threats to students’ civil rights.
More than 146,000 New York City students—about one in every eight children enrolled in the public schools—experienced homelessness during the 2023–24 school year, the ninth consecutive year in which more than 100,000 students were identified as homeless.
This brief summarizes data on a subset of the more than 119,000 New York City students who were identified as homeless during the 2022–23 school year.
Today, AFC is testifying before the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare, jointly with the New York City Council Committee on Women and Gender Equity on supporting domestic violence survivors in NYC’s shelter system.
Today, 116 organizations are calling on Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature to revamp New York’s outdated school funding formula to ensure schools have the resources necessary to provide a high-quality education to all students, with particular attention to those who have the greatest needs.
AFC submitted comments to the Rockefeller Institute of Government about the state Foundation Aid education funding formula. New York State must revise the formula to meet the needs of today’s schools and students, including students who need the most support.
Today, AFC is submitting testimony to the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare regarding Intro 123-2024, which would preclude DHS from requiring a child’s presence when a family applies or reapplies for shelter.
This brief highlights the impact of the 100 New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) shelter-based community coordinators (SBCCs) hired in 2022–23 and calls on Mayor Adams and the City Council to sustain funding for this critical initiative in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget. Funding for all 100 SBCC positions is set to run dry in June, and the City has not yet committed to continuing to fund their important work.
A successful school year starts with the right supports.