Buffalo’s new suspension policy marks a major win for Black, brown, immigrant, disabled, and lower-income students, making it much harder to suspend children in pre-K through the third grade and requiring supportive interventions before suspension can even be considered. This change will help protect young learners from being pushed out of classrooms for developmentally normal … Continue reading Policy to reduce suspensions for Buffalo’s youngest learners applauded by community advocates
New Mexico is doing universal child care, when will New York?
ALBANY, N.Y. (September 9, 2025) — In response to New Mexico’s announcement that it will guarantee universal, no-cost child care for every family in the state, the public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement: “New Mexico has set a bold new standard for the nation by guaranteeing universal, no-cost child care … Continue reading New Mexico is doing universal child care, when will New York?
From $24,000 to $147,000: How Much Daycare Costs Across America
This analysis out of the Wall Street Journal maps out how the cost of child care varies dramatically across the U.S., with the median cost of five years of child care totaling around $44,000, while going well above $100,000 in some. The piece highlights how these rising costs are straining working families. Read the full … Continue reading From $24,000 to $147,000: How Much Daycare Costs Across America
What Is Mamdani’s Vision for New York City’s $40 Billion School System?
In a recent New York Times article, Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, AQE’s Co-Executive Director, expressed support for rising calls to make New York’s public school system more democratic, even if the path forward remains unclear. She pointed to the ongoing transition to a fully elected school board in Chicago as a hopeful model, saying, “We all know … Continue reading What Is Mamdani’s Vision for New York City’s $40 Billion School System?
AQE Responds to Anti-Blackness Across Borders: A Fast for Gaza and Global Justice
In response to the unfolding famine in Gaza and the genocides devastating Black and oppressed communities around the world, AQE will observe fast tomorrow, Wednesday, July 30. This fast will be a rejection of the excesses that so often coexist alongside genocide, and a refusal to accept the suffering that their continuation demands. In a … Continue reading AQE Responds to Anti-Blackness Across Borders: A Fast for Gaza and Global Justice
The Attacks On Our Communities Won’t Stop Us
In response to HHS bans disabling immigrants’ access to taxpayer-funded programs, public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement: “The federal government’s actions today are a calculated attack on immigrant communities. Cutting students and families off from Head Start, mental health care, adult education, and other essential services under the pretense … Continue reading The Attacks On Our Communities Won’t Stop Us
AQE Responds to Tuesday’s Primary Election Results
In response to Tuesday’s primary election results, public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement: “Yesterday’s primaries showed the strength of grassroots organizing and campaigning focused on making life easier and more affordable for everyone. That includes freezing the rent, providing free child care, supporting well-funded public schools, and making the … Continue reading AQE Responds to Tuesday’s Primary Election Results
AQE Responds to NYC CEC Election Results
When Community Education Councils (CECs) function well, they provide a vital platform for parents to shape public education. In NYC, elected parents advise the Department of Education on policy, programs, zoning, and more. But too often, CECs have lacked the support and infrastructure needed to make participation truly accessible – creating space for a small, … Continue reading AQE Responds to NYC CEC Election Results
NYC schools fail to protect students with disabilities from lengthy suspensions
Showing that New York City public schools are routinely violating federal laws designed to protect students with disabilities from excessive punishment, particularly in suspension cases, investigations reveal that schools often fail to consider whether a student’s behavior is linked to their disability or a lack of required services. These failures disproportionately impact Black and Latinx … Continue reading NYC schools fail to protect students with disabilities from lengthy suspensions
Marina Marcou-O’Malley wins City & State 2025 budget poll
AQE’s Co-Executive Director, Marina Marcou-O’Malley, correctly predicted the budget would be finished on the night of May 8, winning City & State’s 2025 budget poll. This was both a reflection of her years of experience in the field and the fact that the governor kept introducing new things as part of the negotiations. She praised … Continue reading Marina Marcou-O’Malley wins City & State 2025 budget poll