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Julian’s Story
Julian is a 3-year-old preschooler with delays in his language skills, but the DOE failed to provide recommended services.
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04.07.2020 | Gothamist | With the school year in turmoil, the state Education Department announced on Tuesday several changes to the graduation requirements including exempting the June Regents exam as a condition of high school graduation. Regents exams for students in lower grades have been...
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04.07.2020 | Brooklyn Paper | “This is good news for students, particularly students scheduled to graduate this year,” said Ashley Grant, coordinator of Advocates for Children of New York’s Coalition for Multiple Pathways to a Diploma. “However, we know that many students, including high...
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04.08.2020 | Education Week | Even the New York board of education, after much debate, voted this week to waive the Regents exams required for many students earning diplomas in the state. “Because many students are still struggling to access remote learning, it will be critical—especially once...
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04.10.2020 | The 74 | “Remote learning requires a lot of independence,” explains Maggie Moroff, special education policy coordinator at Advocates for Children of New York, a nonprofit working on behalf of marginalized students. “By definition, if you get special ed services, it means you need...
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04.10.2020 | MarketWatch | “We have serious concerns about the students who cannot access remote learning and students who are not able to demonstrate what they know through remote-learning platforms,” said Ashley Grant, a supervising staff attorney at the nonprofit Advocates for Children of New...
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04.12.2020 | SI Live | “Schools are a crucial source of stability and social-emotional support for students who are homeless, and we fear that the COVID-19 outbreak will further exacerbate existing inequities, with long-lasting and potentially devastating consequences,” read a letter sent to...
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04.13.2020 | The 74 | Students “[are] currently navigating unprecedented disruptions to their education,” Advocates for Children of New York wrote in an April 7 statement applauding New York’s decision to forgo the Regents exams. Students are still expected to complete required course credits...
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04.07.2020 | Today, Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York (AFC), issued the following statement in response to the cancellation of the June Regents exams and the release of guidance from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) modifying graduation requirements...
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Page: HelplineThe Jill Chaifetz Education HelplineAdvocates for Children’s Jill Chaifetz Education Helpline is your resource for information and guidance on all education-related matters in New York City.We understand how difficult it can be to navigate the New York City Department of Education. Parents can...
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03.20.2020 | Chalkbeat NY | About a dozen advocacy groups sent the chancellor a letter on Friday calling on the city to allow those children to be cared for at the centers. “Picture a parent of children at multiple grade levels spending their time in a hotel room. That’s not an appropriate space...
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Contact Advocates for Children of New YorkA note about AFC's services:In response to the public health emergency resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak, Advocates for Children of New York (AFC) will be working remotely as of March 16, 2020, out of concern for the safety and well-being of our staff,...
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03.09.2020 | Today, Advocates for Children joined 18 organizations committed to school stability and educational success for students in foster care in a joint statement in response to an ACS draft policy. The letter urges the City to guarantee busing or other comparable transportation for students...
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03.20.2020 | NY Daily News | “Every day that goes by where children are not receiving educational services is an opportunity missed,” said Randi Levine, policy director for Advocates for Children. “We are very worried about children who are homeless falling further behind.” Read article
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03.20.2020 | Today, Advocates for Children joined 11 other organizations in calling on Chancellor Carranza to ensure that students who are homeless have access to the Regional Enrichment Centers when they open next week. While we do not question the decision to close schools in light of the current...
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Click on the links below to learn more about each of AFC's advocacy priorities for the fiscal year 2021 City budget. Preschool special education classes [PDF] While the City has added hundreds of seats in preschool special classes over the past year, too many preschoolers are waiting...
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A is for All: Meeting the Literacy Needs of Students with and without Disabilities in the New York City Public Schools [PDF]In March 2016, AFC released this report documenting the need for urgent and sustained action to address the particularly low literacy levels for low-income...
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This fact sheet explains how to get help and services to consider if your child is having trouble learning to read and write.
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02.27.2020 | ABC 7 | A recent report by Advocates for Children of New York identified over 114,000 students were homeless in New York City during the 2018-2019, and officials at PS 132 in Washington Heights say nearly one quarter of its students are currently living in shelters or overcrowded homes...
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03.02.2020 | Politico NY | “I think that every step in the process is really broken and as a result the backlog has kind of snowballed into itself,” said Rebecca Shore, director of litigation at Advocates for Children of New York, a nonprofit legal and advocacy organization. At least two...
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02.10.2020 | USA Today | Yolanda, who works at a nonprofit helping victims of sex-trafficking, couldn’t afford the retainer most private lawyers charge; she had to find a free one. Luckily, Landon’s mentor put them in touch with Stein at Advocates for Children, which helps low-income families...