In her 2026 State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed bold investments that will profoundly and positively impact children, families and our economy across the state for generations to come. In a time of real setbacks from the current federal administration, we applaud Governor Hochul’s leadership and determination to fight for families.

The Children’s Agenda has advocated for universal, affordable, high quality child care over our 22-year history. We applaud Governor Hochul’s substantial funding commitments to accelerate statewide progress towards universal, affordable access, per the vision outlined by the Empire State Campaign for Child Care in New York State Child Care for All.

Governor Hochul’s additional $1.2 billion investment in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) will ensure that nearly 200,000 children, including at least 10,000 here in Monroe County, will be able to access safe, quality care. With the current funding shortages causing CCAP closures or waitlists in 31 counties, increased State investment is essential to ensuring this vital program will serve families throughout the Greater Rochester region.

We particularly appreciate the Governor’s focus on expanding universal access to birth-to-three care throughout Upstate New York and are excited that Monroe County will be one of the pilot communities that help guide New York to a truly universal child care system.

What voters say about cost: Our December 2025 statewide voter poll found that three in five parents (61%) struggled with the cost of child care, and 72% of voters believe New York should spend more to make child care affordable.  

More than 3/4ths of parents in New York have considered moving to another state that’s more affordable, and a huge reason for that is the high cost of child care.

91% of voters considering having children in the future are concerned (66% have major concerns) about the cost of having children in New York.

What voters say about workforce: 92% of voters think raising pay for child care workers would have a positive impact on child care in NY, with 86% in support of creating a $1.2B permanent fund to boost child care worker pay.

Increased workforce compensation is critical to achieving universal child care throughout New York State, as low pay ($38,000 per year on average) is a determining factor leading to provider shortages and wait lists. New York must provide ongoing and reliable compensation supplements to all members of the child care workforce.

Pre-kindergarten programs are a critical support for young children’s cognitive and social-emotional development, improving kindergarten readiness rates, and setting students up for future educational success. For too long, inadequate per-pupil funding has made it difficult for school districts across New York to start or sustain Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) programs. The Children’s Agenda applauds Governor Hochul for her commitment to addressing these funding issues to expand UPK access to all four-year-olds statewide. The additional investment of nearly half a billion dollars will help to expand classrooms in school districts still expanding access to UPK programs, and provide adequate, sustainable funding for districts with long-standing programs with already high utilization rates (such as in the City of Rochester).

The Children’s Agenda and our partners have been advocating for increased UPK per-pupil rates for many years, most recently in our report Reimagining Universal Pre-Kindergarten Funding in New York: Addressing Equity and Funding Sustainability. The Governor’s proposal brings New York closer to achieving a truly universal pre-kindergarten system, though deliberate attention must be given to how New York better includes children with disabilities.

What voters say: 88% of voters support expanding pre-kindergarten to all four-year-olds.

The Children’s Agenda applauds the Governor for restating the state’s commitment to New York’s Empire State Child Credit. Federal funding cuts threaten the ability of states, including New York, to maintain investments in children and families.

We continue to seek investments that improve long-term outcomes for New York’s children and families experiencing economic hardship, particularly in building on the expansion of the Empire State Child Credit to one that is:

What voters say: 77% of respondents said New York was unaffordable, with 37% saying it was very unaffordable. 

55% of voters said they have considered moving to another state that's more affordable, though the rate is much higher (78%) among parents of children under 18.

77% of voters support more government spending on reducing child poverty (the rate is 84% of parents of kids under 18).

We seek a reimagining of New York’s systems to meet the needs of infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities in a timely way, by increasing resources and reforming programs.

The Governor signed a rate increase for Early Intervention (EI) into law in 2024, yet it has not been implemented. We are disappointed that the Governor’s message this year made no mention of this failing system, nor any mention of Preschool Special Education in her proposals to expand Universal Pre-K in New York State. Thousands of infants, toddlers and preschoolers with developmental delays and disabilities are on waitlists for legally mandated therapies and services in every part of our state.

As universal child care is implemented, it is critical that the needs of families with children with disabilities are addressed. No system of child care is truly universal if children with disabilities are not included.

What voters say: 93% of voters believe increasing access to child care for children with disabilities would have a positive impact on the state.

68% of voters initially supported increasing reimbursement rates for EI providers, and support climbed to 87% after respondents learned more about New York’s failing EI program.

We seek to limit harmful and discriminatory exclusionary discipline in New York state through enactment of the Solutions Not Suspensions (SNS) bill (S.134/A.118) and investments in more evidence-based alternatives. The Children’s Agenda recommends $50 million in new investments in the State’s budget to build upon the guidance and recommendations put forward by the NYS Education Department to reduce exclusionary discipline and promote alternative interventions and supports. 

While we are disappointed that exclusionary discipline was not addressed in the State of the State, we look forward to continuing our work with the legislature and Governor to enact the Solutions Not Suspensions bill this year.

What voters say: 73% of voters support SNS legislation generally; 82% support limiting suspensions for small infractions; 80% support eliminating suspensions in PK-3rd grade; and, 74% support limiting suspensions to no more than 20 days.

The Children’s Agenda applauds the Governor’s continuing commitment to universal school meals. While it’s an enormous cost to the State, we also believe the budget needs to allocate resources for a similar continuing commitment that ensures adequate, uninterrupted Medicaid coverage and SNAP benefits until such time as the federal government returns to its role as a partner with New York and every other state.