12.24.2021 | Manhattan Times | That same month, the Advocates for Children of New York and the Legal Aid Society issued a report highlighting the challenges and learning disparities encountered by foster care kids.

At the time of the report, the DOE did not have a single full-time staffer dedicated to students in foster care. “As a result, the DOE often overlooks one of the student populations that needs support the most,” the report said.

“For too long, students in foster care have been overlooked by the DOE — with no staff to answer questions about their specific needs, help schools understand their rights, or develop programs to support them,” said Kim Sweet, Executive Director of Advocates for Children of New York. “With the right support, school can be an important source of stability to students in foster care at a time in their lives when so much is unfamiliar and uncertain.” Read article