Special Report from Advocates for Children of New York and YWCA of Queens
On Wednesday, May 26, a report on Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE) was released by Advocates for Children of New York, with contribution from YWCA of Queens. The report, titled "Students with Interrupted Formal Education: A Challenge for the New York City Public Schools," explores experiences and struggles of the SIFE population and how the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and the NYC Department of Education (DOE) are failing to meet their needs.
More than 15,000 students in the New York City public schools immigrate to the U.S. after having missed two years or more of schooling, further adding to the challenge educators face in raising the 40% on-time graduation rate for English Language Learners. Advocates for Children offers the following suggestions on how to best address this issue and provide for these students:
- NYSED and the DOE should improve collection of data on the demographics,
characteristics, and performance of SIFE
- NYSED should review the current definition of SIFE and consider a more
inclusive definition that emphasizes low literacy and academic skills
- The DOE should strengthen systems to identify and assess SIFE in all schools
and enrollment centers citywide
- The DOE should undertake a review of current SIFE programming and
articulate a more comprehensive citywide plan for SIFE funding,
programming, and professional development for all school staff
- NYSED should apply to use extended graduation timelines for SIFE
For the full report, please go to: http://www.advocatesforchildren.org/SIFE%20Paper%20final.pdf
On Friday, May 21, the Universal Pre-Kindergarten children took a fun and exciting trip to the Queens Botanical Garden where they learned about the environment, admired the diverse landscape and drew some of their favorite sights from the day. The purpose of the trip was to enhance the children's appreciation of nature and to teach them the value of observation and documentation.
APA Albany Advocacy Day
Organized by Assemblywoman Grace Meng, YWCA of Queens and other NYC organizations participated in New York State's first Asian Pacific American (APA) Legislative Advocacy Day in Albany to bring attention to the needs of the population and the importance of social services such as ESL instruction and workreadiness classes. The event took place at the Well in the historic Legislative Office Building where New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and other legislative leaders offered their support of the APA community.
Upcoming Programs and Events
Rally for Restoration of Funding for Immigrant Community
Please join in the fight to restore critical services for immigrant communities on Thursday, June 3, at 11 am at City Hall Park. The goal is to have hundreds of people rally in support of the Immigrant Opportunities Initiative, the Adult Literacy Initiative, GED funding and Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) funding.
Summer Day Camp
Dates: July 1 - August 13
Time: M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Extended hours available until 6pm)
For: Children Ages 3 to 12
Includes: Weekly field trips; Enriched Academic Curriculum; Breakfast, Lunch and Snack
**Bus service starting at $175/month
