Advocates for Children of New York works on behalf of children who are at greatest risk for school-based discrimination and/or academic failure due to poverty, disability, race, ethnicity, immigrant or English Language Learner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, or involvement in the foster care or juvenile justice systems.
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AFC's 2019 Spring Benefit
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
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Spotlight
Response to Increased Funding for School Social Workers
06.14.2019 | Today, Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), issued the following statement in response to the agreement announced between Mayor de Blasio and the New York City Council to fund 216 new school social workers: By adding more than 200 school social workers, the City is taking an important step to... Read more
Hundreds of Preschoolers with Disabilities Waiting for Preschool Special Education Classes in New York
06.11.2019 | Advocates for Children of New York (AFC) issued the following statement in response to Governor Cuomo’s announcement that the State is approving only a two percent increase in rates for preschool special education programs for the 2019-2020 school year: New York State is currently violating the rights of children who need... Read more
AFC Testifies on the New York City FY 2020 Executive Budget
05.23.2019 | Today, Advocates for Children is testifying before the City Council Committee on Finance on the importance of increasing funding for several education priorities, including school social workers, direct mental health support for students, and educational support for students who are homeless and students in foster care. The ARISE... Read more
AFC’s Fiscal Year 2020 City Budget Priorities
Spring 2019 | On March 20, 2019, we testified [PDF] before the City Council Committee on Education on the preliminary budget and the importance of increasing funding for school social workers, direct mental health support for students, educational support for students who are homeless and students in foster care, and preschool special... Read more
AFC in the News
NYC leaders say a new budget puts them on the ‘path’ to closing the pre-K pay gap. But it’s not a done deal.
06.14.2019 | Chalkbeat New York | Eighty-five of the new social workers will work at high-needs middle schools as part of First Lady Chirlane McCray’s mental health initiative, ThriveNYC, officials said. At least 31 “Bridging the Gap” social workers will be added specifically for schools with higher concentrations of students in temporary housing... Read more
Pre-K, school social workers in forefront of negotiations as NYC nears a budget deal
06.13.2019 | Chalkbeat New York | Advocates have called for 31 more social workers for schools that enroll 70 or more students living in shelters and that don’t have one. “We know the Council has been fighting for an influx of school social workers for high-needs schools, as well as an increase in Bridging the Gap social workers to assist students... Read more
Manhattan Borough President wants de Blasio’s Thrive NYC funds for school social workers
06.06.2019 | New York Daily News | As it now stands, 100 city schools that serve 50 or more students who live in homeless shelters do not have a social worker specifically tasked to addressing their needs, according to Randi Levine, policy director for Advocates for Children of New York. “We get calls from families of students who need behavioral... Read more
Surge of complaints by parents of special education students sparks ‘crisis’
05.28.2019 | THE CITY | Rebecca Shore, director of litigation for the group Advocates for Children of New York, said parents file complaints for a host of reasons. Some students are placed into schools that don’t offer programs mandated on their education plans. Others are thrust into classroom settings that don’t match those mandated by the IEP.... Read more