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Parent Advocacy is the most important advocacy of all!

For 853 and 4410 schools, the key question to ask legislators is “If I pay the same taxes as every other New Yorker, why is my child’s school not funded in the same way?”

Brookville Center for Children’s Services is composed of 4410 special-education preschools and 853 state-approved school-age programs. Advocate for BCCS students by calling for legislators to:

  • Address the urgent and ongoing teacher shortages experienced by 4410 and 853 schools.

  • Share Brookville Center’s social media posts dedicated to advocacy on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Show Your Support for the Issues Impacting Children in Our Children’s Residential Program, specifically:

  • A proposed Direct Support Wage Enhancement (DSWE) as part of the New York State Budget to ensure agencies can raise the hourly rate of pay for direct care staff.

  • A 3.2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for disability providers to reduce financial pressures, from utilities to mandated fringe benefits.

  • Send an email to your state legislators.


Become More Informed About Disparities in Funding for 4410 and 853 Schools 

  • 2023 Parent Video Training. “Learning About the State of Education (NYS 853 & 4410).” Educators and advocates from The InterAgency Council of Developmental Disabilities Agencies (IACNY) offers insight into the current service obstacles of 4410 and 853 schools; share October 2022 survey results from education providers; and actionable advocacy steps. Find out the answers to questions, including:

    -Does my child receive the same funding as children attending public schools?
    -Why is my child’s school experiencing staffing shortages?
    -Are the other schools struggling to staff their schools?
    -Do all schools have teacher shortages?
    -Where are all the therapists?
    -What can you to do help?
    View here.

*Materials adapted from IACNY and DDAWNY

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