Literacy \ Education
Advocates for Children of New York has been dedicated to protecting every child’s right to education for more than 50 years. AFC provides families the one-on-one guidance and advocacy they need, while pressing for systemic reforms that benefit all students.
Carlos, a determined young student from Guatemala, came to the U.S. alone after years of poverty forced him to leave school and work to support his family. At 16, he tried twice to enroll in school in the Bronx but was turned away each time because his relatives lacked identification and custodial paperwork. Advocates for Children of New York (AFC) stepped in, defending his right to an immediate school placement under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act. With AFC’s help, Carlos was enrolled at Manhattan International High School—a supportive environment for newly arrived immigrant students learning English. There, he thrived academically and advocated for others like himself. In 2019, Carlos proudly graduated high school, a milestone made possible through his perseverance and AFC’s advocacy. Read the full story about Carlos’ remarkable journey using the link.
Librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting on the frontlines of democracy
In this episode of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Susan Lambert is joined by Doug Lemov, former teacher and school principal, to discuss how teachers can identify when disfluency is actually the root cause for students’ struggles with comprehension—and what they can do about it. Using his new book, The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading, to guide the discussion, Susan and Doug address building attention stamina, the argument for reading whole books, and the value of expressive read-alouds. Finally, Doug ends the episode asserting that humans are meant to live in community, and that a deeper level of comprehension is unlocked through deep empathic connection to text and the experience of reading with others. Resources: Read: The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading Watch: Gabby Woolf’s Dr. Jekyll Lesson and the Power of Reading Fluency Listen: ”Phonology as a settled science” Listen: ”The plea to preserve deep reading, with Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D.” Listen: ”Writing the way to better reading, with Judith Hochman, Ed.D.” Listen: ”The joy of reading aloud, with Molly Ness” Download: cComprehension 101 Bundle “If you're not a fluent reader, you can't be a deep reader.”—Doug Lemov “The research is clear that when you start to read expressively externally, then your internal reading voice while reading silently is much more expressive and therefore infused with more meaning.”—Doug Lemov
This video shares the story of Pajaro Valley’s experience building a stronger family engagement strategy in partnership with the Family Engagement Leadership Institute. Learn more about FELI: http://feli.bealearninghero.org
Nine-year-old Paige, an academically strong student on the autism spectrum, was recommended for a supportive special education class of 12 students by her teachers and therapists. However, her local school only offered a large, integrated class of about 30 students, contrary to her needs. When her mother rejected this placement and asked for alternatives, the Department of Education (DOE) did not provide any solution, leaving Paige at home without education or therapy. With help from advocates, Paige's family found a private school tailored to children with autism, where she has since excelled. Paige's advocates also secured compensation for lost learning time, and an impartial hearing officer strongly criticized the DOE for its inappropriate placement attempt. This fall, Paige’s mom was finally able to send her to a school where her needs would truly be met—a positive change from the previous year. To read Paige’s full story and learn more about her journey, please use the link.
A Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to building strong, confident readers through individualized instruction.
Josh, a kind and determined young man, faced years of struggle learning to read due to a language-based learning disability and inadequate support from the school system. By age 20, he still read at a first-grade level and could not manage basic daily tasks requiring literacy. The Department of Education mistakenly told Josh’s mother their services ended when he turned 18, leaving him out of school for two years and unable to progress in vocational programs. When AFC stepped in, they secured intensive, individualized reading instruction for Josh, and within six months he advanced to a 4th/5th grade reading level. Despite losing his greatest advocate—his mother—Josh pushed forward, earning his high school equivalency diploma and preparing for a future in music and business. His journey shows that the right support can unlock a student’s true potential. Learn more and read Josh’s full inspiring story using the link.
Cultivating confident voices in NYC youth! Discover affordable speech and debate programs tailored for middle and high school students with Brooklyn Debate League.