On Thursday, April 13, 2023, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), immigrant parents and students, educators, and advocates gather.
They held a press conference about the House of Tweed’s steps to demand that New York City create more equitable access to public schools for immigrant youth and families through two critical educational programs, and they rejected the mayor’s proposal. 3% discounts For the Department of Education (DOE) budget.
Advocates are calling for the city to invest $3 million in comprehensive services essential to the six new school transfer programs for English Language Learners (ELL) in Queens, the Bronx and Brooklyn, and to invest $2.1 million in a pilot program that gives newly arrived high-school-age immigrant youth access to transfer schools in outer quarters; An investment of $4 million in Communication, application and registration support for 3- and 4-year-old immigrant families through the Connecting Immigrant Families with Early Childhood Education (LIFE) project; and investing $75 million to hire additional school social workers to support the needs of incoming asylum seekers.
New York has a responsibility to provide equal access to education for all students, regardless of what language they speak, how much support they need to graduate, or their immigrant status. We cannot afford to exclude an entire generation of young people who are eager to learn and contribute to the common prosperity of our city. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander said, “I applaud the hard work of the New York Immigration Coalition to fight for an accessible English-language learning curriculum for all who need it.”
New York City has some of the best public schools in the country, but not many of them are accessible to our immigrant neighbors. “This budget cycle, I am standing with NYIC and calling for them to get $3 million to invest in six new programs for English learners in schools across the five boroughs,” said Immigration Commission Chair, Councilwoman Shahana Hanif. “Especially as more asylum seekers enter our school system.” This investment is critical to ensuring that every student in our city has the opportunity to succeed.”
Every young person in New York should receive a good education as the foundation for building a successful life. Unfortunately, while the city estimates that more than 14,000 new asylum seekers enrolled in our schools last year, the Adams administration is proposing to cut the education budget yet again. We need to stop putting our children’s future on hold and start investing in our future workforce. Immigrant students deserve equal access to a quality education that begins with investments in English Learner Transfer Schools, Project Life, and other essential programs that will help young immigrants thrive in New York. When we prioritize education for all New Yorkers, we can truly create the welcoming city that Mayor Adams keeps talking about, said Andrea Ortiz, Senior Director of Education Policy, Immigration Alliance of New York.
“CIANA is proud to be involved in the Education Collaborative and NYIC’s efforts to address the need of older immigrant youth to access a quality public school education. No matter what language they speak, or what country they are from, newly arrived students should be able to attend a specially designed school close to home for older English learners, and those providing the social/emotional support they need during this challenging time of transition.We stand by investing in English Learner Transfer Schools, Project Live, and other vital programs that promote successful integration of young newcomers to New York City “. said Amira Habibi Brown, founder and CEO of the Center for Integration and Advancement in New Americans (CIANA).
the Immigration Alliance of New York (NYIC) is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization for more than 200 groups in New York State. We envision a stronger New York State because all people are welcome, treated fairly, and given the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Our mission is to unite immigrants, members, and allies so all New Yorkers can thrive. We represent the collective interests of New York’s diverse immigrant communities and organizations and devise solutions to advance them; Advocate for laws, policies, and programs that lead to justice and opportunity for all immigrant groups; And building the strength of immigrants and the organizations that serve them to ensure their sustainability, improve people’s lives, and strengthen our nation.
Photo credit: Photography by Joe Swide.
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