Policy & Initiatives

Public Comments & Testimony

Advocates for Children of New York (AFC) has our finger on the pulse of important education issues and education policy trends that affect children in New York City and New York State.  We are on the forefront of pushing to improve education policy, so that all children have access to a quality education.

Below are AFC’s most recent public comments and testimonies:

2012

AFC’s Testimony  Delivered to the New York City Council Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services and the Committee on Education Regarding School-Based Mental Health Services, May 1, 2012
AFC testified before the New York City Council on the negative consequences that the city-wide shortage of school-based mental health services has on schools and their students.... View testimony

AFC’s Testimony  Delivered to the New York City Council Committee on Education Regarding Co-Location of Public Schools, April 19, 2012
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education on the school co-location process and the impact it is having on students with disabilities.... View testimony

AFC’s Testimony  Delivered to the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare Regarding the Fiscal year 2013 Preliminary Budget, March 29, 2012
AFC testified before the New York City Council Committee on General Welfare in opposition to the shortsighted, massive cuts to early childhood education programs proposed in Mayor Bloomberg’s Preliminary Budget.... View testimony

AFC’s Testimony  Before the City Council Committees on Education and Finance regarding the oversight of Medicaid claims for special education related services by the Department of Education, March 1, 2012
AFC’s testimony  before the City Council Committees on Education and Finance regarding the oversight of Medicaid claims for special education related services by the Department of Education.... View testimony

AFC's Letter to the New York State Assembly Regarding Proposed Budget Cuts, February 14, 2012
AFC urges legislators to protect access to high-quality Early Intervention (EI) services and ensure that EI services are driven by children’s needs, not by their health insurance coverage.... Read letter

Statement by the ARISE Coalition about the Comptroller for the City of New York's Audit Report on the Procurement of Direct Student Services by the Department of Education, January 30, 2012
The report concludes that the New York City Department of Education (DOE), by its own accounting, has failed to provide related services to more than tens of thousands of students with disabilities in New York City.... Read statement

AFC’s Public Comment on New York State Education Department’s (SED) Draft Request for Flexibility under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act/No Child Left Behind (ESEA/NCLB), January 30, 2012
AFC is encouraged by New York’s efforts to move away, however slightly, from a largely punitive school and district accountability system and toward providing increased support to districts and schools to improve the quality of teaching and learning. AFC outlines its concerns and makes specific recommendations for meaningful accountability.... Read entire public comment

2011

Testimony delivered to the New York State Senate Standing Committee on Children and Families, December 12, 2011
AFC's testimony on challenges facing the child care community.... View testimony

Testimony delivered to the New York City Council's Committee on Education on the New York City Department of Education (DOE) School Suspension Data, November 30, 2011
AFC's testimony regarding the critical importance of the New York City Department of Education implementing more constructive approaches to school discipline.... View testimony

Public Comment to the New York State Education Department on the Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential, November 9, 2011
Comments of the Coalition for Multiple Pathways to a Diploma, coordinated by AFC on the elimination of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) diploma and the proposed Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential.... Read comments

Testimony delivered to the New York City Council's General Welfare, Education and Youth Services Committees, October 18, 2011
AFC's testimony regarding oversight and coordination between NYC Department of Homeless Services, Department of Education, and Department of Youth and Community Development to ensure homeless children and youth are properly educated.... View testimony