As the end of Community Education Council (CEC) District 24 Vice President and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) Representative Connie Altamirano’s term approaches at the end of June, she has reflected on her decades of service to the Queens community, including her four years in CEC 24.
Altamirano has dedicated a lot of time and effort advocating for those in CEC 24, which is made up of the Queens neighborhoods of Ridgewood, Maspeth, Glendale, Middle Village, Elmhurst, Corona, Woodside, Long Island City and Sunnyside. This includes founding and organizing the District 24 Middle School Fair and the Rise Up Fair.
The District 24 Middle School Fair, established by Altamirano in 2019, provides families of kids in the district with direct access to representatives from their children’s schools. The event also helps to empower informed school-choice decisions through the connections between parents and representatives.
Altamirano established the Rise Up Fair in May 2024. This community event centered mainly on assisting families of students with special needs and disabilities. The services there related to occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, counseling, assistive technology and other support systems for kids. The fair, which goes over IEPs, features therapists on hand to educate families on their rights, help them understand the support systems available to their kids and answer their questions. Following the success of this inaugural fair, it was held again and expanded upon in May 2025, strengthening partnerships with the community and further servicing families, with attendees being provided with groceries as well.
“This is me giving back to the community. I’m going to give you everything in one day. I’m going to give you resources regarding your IEP or any resources that you might need besides that,” Altamirano said. “You have every resource that you can possibly think of. I’m also going to help solve your problem. Your kids are going to have fun.”
Prior to and throughout her tenure at CEC 24, Altamirano has devoted herself to being as engaged with the community as possible. She has made sure to visit all 43 schools in the district to try and build trust with each school and gain a better understanding of the local needs. Additionally, she has initiated and facilitated multiple community forums and discussions, including the District 24 Middle School Fair and the Rise Up Fair. Through these fairs and committee meetings, she has made sure to provide a collective voice to stakeholders in an effort to make the educational experiences across the district more enriching for the children.
Through the fairs, workshops and informational sessions that Altamirano has helped organize, parents have developed a deeper knowledge about the rights they have and the school resources available to their kids. This reflects Altamirano’s commitment to maintaining open communication with parents who call upon her for assistance. She has provided numerous parents with guidance on subjects like IEPs, school navigation, advocacy and more.
Altamirano said she has dedicated hundreds of hours each month to talking with parents and guardians who call her in search of assistance related to different resources and the application processes for 3K, Kindergarten, middle school and high school. She also provides guidance on how families in need can access local food pantries and other helpful resources.
Community engagement is another quality important to Altamirano. She has been successful in being able to connect local Parent-Teacher Associations and Parent Associations with community partners and local businesses. These connections have helped to provide the Parent-Teacher Associations and Parent Associations with much-needed resources and support.
Altamirano was also a vocal advocate for the passage of multiple laws aimed at assisting children and those with disabilities. Among the laws she successfully advocated for were Erin’s Law, the Child Victims Act and Fred’s Law.
Erin’s Law, passed in 2019, requires schools in New York State to teach classes on child sexual abuse and exploitation prevention for grades K-8. This is meant to promote awareness and safety among these kids.
The Child Victims Act, also passed in 2019, expands the time period by a wide margin for victims of child sexual abuse to seek justice. Thanks to this law, people who were sexually abused as a child now have until their 55th birthday for their abusers to be prosecuted.
Fred’s Law, passed in 2021, ensures those with disabilities, including seniors, can be attended to by family members and loved ones while in a hospital setting.
Each of these laws hit close to home for Altamirano. She was sexually abused as a child and her children received IEP treatment when they were in school.
Altamirano said her community service can be traced back more than 30 years, when she volunteered at a homeless shelter when she was 21 years old. Since then, she has devoted much of her life to helping others.
Providing assistance to others even extended to Altamirano’s career. She was the Manager of Early Intervention at the children’s therapeutic and educational services provider All About Kids. In that role, she oversaw services for infants and toddlers up to three years of age who had developmental delays or disabilities. She was responsible for leading initiatives meant to address various developmental areas, including cognition, adaptive skills, social-emotional development, physical growth and speech and language.
Under Altamirano’s leadership, the Early Intervention program at All About Kids placed a heavy emphasis on early identification and intervention. The earlier these children receive support, the better the outcome will be for them.
In addition to her work at All About Kids and CEC 24, Altamirano also launched Queens’ first-ever children’s special needs afternoon program. She also further demonstrated her commitment to providing kids access to inclusive education through summer programs on Long Island based on No Child Left Behind, a legislation that was meant to improve educational outcomes for all students, including those with disabilities.
While Altamirano will be leaving CEC 24 when her term ends, she still intends to engage in grassroots advocacy. She hopes to fulfill her mission of cultivating resilience in numerous youths, inspiring future generations and fostering global communities where children can safely pursue their dreams. Her advocacy will consist of a parent helpline for people to reach out to her for guidance, support and immediate answers, as well as a community Facebook group for parents, teachers, principals, school staff, elected officials and neighbors to exchange resources, ask questions and stay informed on developments from Albany.
Altamirano also expressed a desire for the New York City Board of Elections to be responsible for overseeing CEC elections, rather than the Department of Education. She feels this would better ensure trust, transparency and consistency in the parent-driven election system.
“My term is ending June 30 at midnight, but you will always have my contact, and I will be your personal advocate until you don’t need me anymore,” Altamirano said.
Altamirano recommends that those who wish to reach out to her for assistance call her at (347)-777-0841 or email her at conniealt1nycnys@gmail.com.
The advocacy and philanthropic efforts made by Altamirano to improve the community and child welfare have earned her numerous proclamations from local leaders. This includes proclamations from State Senators Michael Gianaris and Joseph Addabbo Jr., Council Members Jennifer Gutierrez, Francisco Moya and Shekar Krishnan, Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, Congresswoman Nydia Valazquez, CSD 24 Superintendent Anthony Rivera, I.S 93 and P.S. 290Q.
2025 also marks the first year that an award named after Altamirano was given out to a local student in honor of their community service. The Connie Altamirano Community Dedication Award will be given to a student each year in recognition of their outstanding school and community service. This award reflects the values that Altamirano has championed throughout her life.
