PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Randi Levine, Policy Director at Advocates for Children of New York, on Summer Rising Program
2:56:43
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3 min
Randi Levine, Policy Director at Advocates for Children of New York, provided testimony on the Summer Rising program, highlighting its successes in providing access to summer programming for high-needs students while also pointing out areas for improvement. She emphasized the need for better accommodations for students with disabilities and more inclusive practices.
- Recommended rolling out accommodations process earlier to ensure support is in place from day one
- Suggested returning to a simpler application form and prioritizing certain high-needs student groups
- Called for improvements in transportation, site selection, and academic support for students with special needs
Randi Levine
2:56:43
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you.
2:56:45
My name is Randy Levine, and I'm policy director advocates for children of New York.
2:56:49
As an organization that focuses on students whose needs are too often overlooked, such as students with disabilities, English language learners, and students who are homeless or in foster care, we have seen summer rising, provide summer programming to students who did not have access previously.
2:57:06
The centralized application process with priority for certain high needs students and the rollout of an accommodations process for students with disabilities have helped students who were previously left out of the city's summer programming to enroll and get needed support to participate.
2:57:22
At the same time, we know there's more work to do.
2:57:25
Among other challenges, last summer, we heard from families who children were asked to leave the full summer rising program or the afternoon enrichment portion due to their needs.
2:57:36
Including a rising 1st grader with autism living in a shelter who was told after 2 days that he could not return to summer rising, putting the child's learning and the parents job at risk.
2:57:48
Based on our experience working with families, we recommend that the city roll out the process for requesting approving accommodations with enough time to ensure that the individualized support that each student needs is in place for the 1st day of summer and that no young person is turned away.
2:58:07
The city should also ensure that staff is prepared to serve students with a range of needs and that additional support is available as needed.
2:58:16
Continue to have an application window and give priority and admissions to students in temporary housing, students in foster care and students with 12 month IEP programs and return to the practice of setting aside seats for students who enter shelter or foster care or change placements after the application deadline.
2:58:34
Return to the simple application form used in the summer used for summer 2023 instead of using my schools, which is far more challenging to use, develop and implement a more robust outreach plan.
2:58:46
When selecting sites for summer rising, ensure sites are fully possible for students with physical disabilities and place programs in sites that will also house summer special education classes.
2:58:58
Ensure that all students who need bus service to get to school, including students with disabilities, students living in shelter and students in the foster system who have a right to transportation have bus service or a comparable door to door alternative to get to and from the full day of summer programming that does not rely on parents having to transport their children.
2:59:20
Instead of afternoon bus service being available only at 3 PM, hours before the end of the summer rising day.
2:59:27
Provide families with information about transportation, summarizing accommodations plans, and more as early as possible that families can make informed decisions and ensure that students get needed academic support, including evidence based reading intervention when needed, and the social emotional support they need over the summer.
2:59:45
We look forward to working with you.
2:59:46
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today.
