Because of a school system that wasn’t designed with them in mind, newly arrived immigrant students often face unique barriers that make it challenging for them to succeed. Flanbwayan exists to close these gaps through our programs.
ELL graduation rate in NYC public schools, 2025.
ELL dropout rate in NYC public schools, 2025.
Flanbwayan rally.
These systemic barriers shape whether newly arrived Haitian students have the chance to succeed in New York City or get left behind.
Many newly arrived Haitian students and their families are unfamiliar with the complex NYC public school system and get little guidance on how to navigate this system.
Flanbwayan provides support throughout the enrollment process, in Haitian Creole and English, so Haitian immigrant youth can make informed decisions about their education with confidence.
Instead of applying through the regular admissions process, older immigrant students meet with a single enrollment counselor and are placed wherever seats are available, sometimes left waiting without a placement.
Flanbwayan works to make sure our students get meaningful choices and access to schools they can thrive in.
The Department of Education must expand multilingual programs for ELLs, especially in under-represented, newer immigrant communities. The DOE should expand transfer options allowing ELLs to switch to programs better supporting English language acquisition. Students learning English need programs that help them succeed, not ones that just meet minimum requirements.
Newcomer students who are placed in schools that aren’t equipped to meet their needs are at risk of failing. Some end up in lower-performing schools or schools facing chronic challenges, limiting their opportunities from day one. Every student deserves access to a school that offers a safe, supportive, and high-quality education.
Older newcomer students need more than one path to graduation. They deserve language support in transfer schools, Career and Technical Education programs, Young Adult Borough Centers, and Pathways to Graduation programs.
Newcomer students often arrive in U.S. classrooms with the same dreams as everyone else but face a system that wasn’t designed with them in mind.
We offer programs and support that meet families where they are.
Helping families navigate NYC’s complex high school placement.
Learn more →Fighting for educational equity for high school English Language Learners (ELLs) in NYC’s public schools.
Learn more →Programs rooted in heritage and culture that grow organizers, speakers, and changemakers.
Learn more →Schools, community organizations, and families working together.
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