Good Afternoon Families & Community Leaders,
A little more than one year ago the Comptroller’s office was the first to sound the alarm on the lack of additional funding from the Adams administration for schools serving newly arrived students from families seeking asylum. Since then, more than 21,000 additional students have arrived in our city and enrolled in NYC Public Schools, contributing to the first increase in school enrollment in 8 years. Increased enrollment brings with it opportunity for our schools, which receive significant funding on a per pupil basis, and for our shared economic thriving.
However, there are critical & urgent issues facing our immigrant students and that’s why I am reaching out to you today. On December 19 the NYIC, the UFT, Community leaders, advocates, families & electeds will be coming together for the Childrens March for Our Schools.
City Hall’s decision to impose a 60-day time limit on families staying in HERRCs endangers the physical and mental wellbeing of children, educators, their families & their classmates all around New York City. Just as thousands of children are settling into the safety and stability of new schools, establishing routines, and making new friends after months of hardship and trauma, this policy will force them to leave and reapply for shelter in Late December & January. For parents of very young children who have received a childcare voucher through Promise NYC, it means relocation to another part of the city where there may be a wait for childcare seats and severing the connection and sense of security that their young child has found with their current provider furthering instability for those who will lose the income from that seat when the child leaves.
Advocates and Elected officials are urge the Adams administration to reverse its 60- and 28-day shelter limit policies – first and foremost to ensure our City’s immigrant students, families & school communities are provided with the stability they need to succeed and thrive in school in a time of crisis.
Please join NYC Families, NYIC, the UFT, Advocates and Elected officials next week for the Childrens March for Our Schools.
Key Information:
What: The Childrens March for Our Schools
When: Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 3:45pm
Where: Meet inside City Hall Park at Jacob Wrey Mould Fountain. Enter the park at Broadway and Park Place.
Who: You, your family, your school community! We Encourage You to Bring Students to this Rally to Uplift their Voice in this Fight!
Why:
· Because newly arrived asylum seekers, our neighbors – especially vulnerable children – who have fled for their lives from persecution, turmoil, and conflict deserve to be welcomed with dignity.
· Because shuffling families around who have already begun to feel rooted in communities will create more government inefficiencies and cost all NYers.
· Because City Hall’s decision to impose a 60-day time limit on families staying in HERRCs endangers the physical and mental wellbeing of: children, caregivers, educators, and their classmates.
I hope to see you all there!
Yours in service,
SC
Office of NYC Comptroller Brad Lander | Sadye L. Campoamor (she/ella)Chief Equity Officer Phone: 212.669.7746Mobile: 929.545.0016Email: Sadye.Campoamor@comptroller.nyc.gov 1 Centre Street, Room 510New York, NY 10007 |