January 2022

Bold Action for Children

New York children had many policy wins last year. So what’s next? A lot! In 2022, The Children’s Agenda, along with coalition partners and advocates like you, will work to – 

• Put New York on the path toward universal, quality, affordable child care 
• Increase access and equity in the Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education systems 
• Eliminate school suspensions in grades K – 3 in favor of developmentally appropriate therapeutic and restorative practices 
• Launch a statewide effort to reduce child poverty by half 

Work on this year’s agenda began with the Governor’s State of the State address. The Children's Agenda commends Governor Hochul for laying out a vision for how state government can and should work for families. We appreciate her acknowledgements of children and the families, educators and child care professionals who care for them. We agree with the Governor that this is "a moment of great possibility" and a time to be innovative. The agenda the Governor laid out is ambitious. However, the size and scope of the challenges New York families are facing require more than mere ambition. They require bold action. Expanding existing programs is not sufficient. We must lay new foundations on which families can build their children's futures. Read our full response here. 

Read more...

Removing Barriers Parents Face

More than 3 out of 4 New York parents of young children say they are concerned about the lack of affordable, high quality child care. Why, then, did an estimated $290 million in child care assistance go unused in New York last year? An investigation by The Children’s Agenda found that part of the problem is counties do not consistently make information readily available to families about who is eligible for child care assistance and how to apply.  

Rochester parent Danielle Jones and Pete Nabozny talked about the problem on WXXI Connections. As Danielle described, “the cost of living is not the same as the cost of surviving.”  

In December, two bills were introduced in the Assembly and state Senate: Early Learning Child Care Act and Universal Child Care Act. Additionally, in her 2022 – 2023 budget proposal Governor Hochul proposed $832 million for child care subsidies. But child care assistance has to work its way from legislation to getting children in classrooms. The current system is ill-equipped to effectively disburse funds to families. The Children’s Agenda recommends that New York State: 

1. Require standardized information about child care assistance be posted on county websites 
2. Develop an online child care assistance application for use statewide 
3. Fund child care navigation services 

Implementing these recommendations will make child care assistance more readily available to families in need and eliminate wide variations from one county to another that leave some families unserved simply because of where they live. Monroe County can immediately implement these parent-friendly changes on its own. 

Higher Education Partnerships

Thank you to St. John Fisher College intern Michael Lilholt for all his work last semester on the Barriers to Care report! Student interns provide valuable skills and time that help us move our work forward.  

This semester we will be working with a graphic design class at Nazareth College to produce new materials that will help people understand the impact of public policy advocacy and how they can be a part of this important work. We will also be working with a public health policy class at the University of Rochester to advocate for developmental services for children with delays and disabilities.  

If your school or organization wants to get involved in advocating for public policies that support children, contact Stephanie at stephanie@thechildrensagenda.org.  I'm a new Text block ready for your content.

Raising Rochester

TCA In The News

• Democrat & Chronicle: Governor Signs $40 Million for Early Intervention Fund 
• WXXI: Parents and Advocates Respond to RCSD Return to In-Person Learning 
• Capitol Pressroom: Parents Largely in the Dark About Child Care Assistance 
• WXXI Connections: Discussing Barriers to Information About Child Care Assistance in New York State 
• North Country Public Radio: There's A Lot of Unspent Money Out There for Child Care Assistance 
• WXXI:  Pediatrician Says Masks Should be Worn in Schools

Thank You To Our Late December/January Donors

Thank you to all our late December 2021 and January 2022 donors

Late December Donors

Mr. Simeon Banister - Mrs. Ja'Nai Barber - Mrs. Erin Barry and Mr. Keenan Barry - Ms. Laura Bates - Mrs. Rachel Bonsignore and Mr. James Bonsignore - Mr. Ethan Borg and Ms. Jennifer Leigh - Mr. Carl M. Boudakian - Mrs. Nancy Briggs - Ms. Jen Cathy - Ms. Jill M. Cicero, Esq. - Mrs. Maggie Detty - Mr. Barry Drogan and Ms. Kathryn Drogan - Episcopal Diocese of Rochester - Ms. Jean Erskine - Mr. Vincent Esposito - Ms. Gail Ferraioli - Dr. Gayle Harrison - Mr. Steve Hogan, MBA and Mrs. Joy Hogan - Mrs. Mary Hussong-Kallen - Instant Monogramming Inc. - Mr. Nathan Jaschik and Mrs. Suzanne Jaschik - KeyBank Foundation - Mr. Dan Rosen and Dr. Pebble Kranz - Mrs. Anne F. Kriz - Dr. Marc Libman - Ms. Maryjane Link - Dr. Jeanne Loysen - Mr. Richard Markus and Mrs. Joan Markus - Mr. Richard Mathner and Ms. Donna Mathne - Dr. Celia McIntosh -  Sarah Mittiga - Ms. Ann Monroe - Mr. Michael Moss - Mr. Pete Nabozny and Ms. Lindsay Nabozny - Dr. Lawrence Nazarian and Ms. Sharon Nazarian - Ms. Kathy Nixon and Mr. Ted Nixon - Ms. Barbara Orenstein - Mr. Clayton Osborne and Ms. Deloris Osborne - Ms. Michelle Peter - Mr. Karl Pleger and Ms. Gloria Pleger - Mr. Lewis Rothberg and Mrs. Shelby Nelson - Dr. Hank H. Rubin - Ms. Susan S. Rupp - Mr. Aaron Schnittman and Mrs. Katherine Schnittman - Mr. Joe Simson - Ms. Susan Spaulding and Mr. Lincoln Spaulding - Ms. Mary Staropoli - Mrs. Deborah Stendardi - Mr. Randall Stone and Rev. Martha Koenig Stone - Rabbi Debbi Till - Ms. Fran Weisberg and Mr. Thomas Toole - Dr. David Topa - Mr. Ken Traub and Mrs. Mollie Traub - Mr. Justin Vigdor, Esq. - Mr. Moritz P. Wagner

January Donors

Mr. Jason Dunn and Dr. Robin Adair - Ms. Toyin Anderson - Mr. Joseph Calabrese and Mrs. Elisa Calabrese - Dr. Lisa Cauda, Ed.D. - Mr. Nathaniel Cleveland and Ms. Jennifer Cleveland- Ms. Karen A. Costello- Mrs. Carolyn Dehority and Mr. John Dehority - Ms. Ann Diehl - Ms. Ann Dozier - Mrs. Amanda Dreher - Ms. Vincenza C. Droel - Ms. Marsha Dumka - Mr. Mark Dwyer - Dr. Sahar Elezabi and Mr. George Elezabi - Episcopal Diocese of Central New York - ESL Charitable Foundation - Mr. Christopher Farnum and Ms. Mary Jo Brach - Ms. Nancy J Farrell - Ms. Lisa Hand - Ms. Donna Jackel - Ms. Paula Kuempel - Ms. Amy Mantell - Prof. Molly E. McNulty - Mrs. Kristine A. Mich - Ms. Sarah Mittiga - Mrs. Gail S. Mott - Dr. Craig Orlowski and Dr. Lynn Garfunkel - Rev. Dr. Peter W. Peters and Ms. Sarah M Peters - Ms. Jennifer Poggi - Ms. Clare Robinson-Henrie - Mr. Irving Rosenstein and Mrs. Gloria Rosenstein - Mr. Ray Samson - Dr. Leslie Schiff, DDS - Dr. Ruth Schneider - Ms. Bridget Shumway - Mr. Gabe Siftar - Mr. Joe Simson - Mrs. Kathi Stolte - Mr. Thomas Sullivan and Ms. Patricia Sullivan - Miss Phyllis A. Tierney - Dr. Stephanie Townsend - Mr. Paul Tremblay and Dr. Jennifer West - Rev. Gordon Webster - Mr. David Zimmerman and Ms. Janet Zimmerman - Dr. Alicia Zysman Cromwell and Mr. Matthew Cromwell

Sustaining the work we do together is only a click away.  Making a monthly donation to The Children's Agenda supports our efforts to help children who are vulnerable because of poverty, racism, health inequities and trauma.

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