Child advocacy organizations such as The Children’s Agenda said the increased pre-K access will provide more young learners with a chance to build foundational skills, including reading, identifying colors and simple math. “About 90% of a child’s brain develops before they even enter the formal school system at age 5.…

Outrage continues to grow after a vote to adopt the proposed Rochester City School District budget for next school year. The $1.16 billion budget for the 2026-27 school year was approved in a 4-3 vote Tuesday evening at the RCSD budget adoption meeting. The adopted budget cuts social work services,…

Governor Hochul’s proposal to ensure free child care for all represents to The Children’s Agenda the culmination of years of work and hope. The organization’s CEO, Larry Marx, talked with Adam Chodak about how it would work, key parts still missing from the plan and why he sees the move…

Governor Kathy Hochul is making child care a priority in the upcoming state budget. It comes with new proposals to expand pre-K programs and assist more New Yorkers with child care assistance.

A new report shows Monroe County is spending millions of dollars each year on unfounded calls to CPS. Community agencies in our area say those resources could be better spent elsewhere.

A spokesperson for the Governor’s office tells News 8 the plans already submitted by districts are currently under review. School administrators are considering exceptions to the ban. This includes for various medical conditions with a doctor’s note, students who need translation services, or for educational purposes through IEPs. “What parents…

The Children’s Agenda has released its yearly review focused on the Rochester City School District’s budget. Organizers with the agency explained their findings Wednesday, including the most pressing issues according to approximately 70 RCSD parents surveyed.

As the state budget deadline nears in New York, Governor Hochul’s $13.5 million proposal to ban cell phones in public schools, K-12, remains a key talking point. The State Senate is pushing back with the suggestion to allow for limited phone use in between classes. As previously reported, the state’s…

The Children’s Agenda called on Governor Kathy Hochul to increase compensation and benefits for the early childcare education workforce. They said the policies would help support the people and organizations that care for children within the community, and in turn, create more childcare opportunities for working parents.

New York State is looking to cover school meals for students, according to a new initiative. This proposed program is part of Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State, which will ensure that over 2.7 million public school students will receive free breakfasts and lunches at school.

By almost any measure, New York State's early intervention (EI) service model is in crisis. According to the Children's Agenda, providers are being severely underpaid, which is contributing to a shortage — and as a result, wait times are so long that some kids are aging out before ever receiving…

Bipartisan elected officials are calling on the governor to sign key pieces of legislation to help alleviate the burden of New York’s ongoing child care crisis.

A study by The Children’s Agenda from Fall 2023 found district finances as one of the driving forces behind a lack of buy-in.

“Not being able to receive the proper services, as a parent is frustrating,” said Lynn Mordenga, parent advocate “and you’re just left in agony because you were promised a right to be able to have therapy for your child, because it’s a federal right.”

School is almost out, leaving some families wondering what they can do for summer childcare and what resources are available for them.

New findings from a recent poll through the Children’s Agenda surveyed 600 parents across Monroe County, and show staggering numbers on the level of food insecurity locally.

School is almost out, leaving some families wondering what they can do for summer childcare and what resources are available for them.

In the midst of an ongoing mental health crisis nationwide, The Children’s Agenda, a locally based nonprofit, has released a new poll taking a deep dive on parents’ concerns surrounding youth mental health.

These are federally mandated supports, where children have a right to get access to these services within 30-days, however families are having to wait upwards of 12-months to get connected.

Community leaders in Rochester gathered Saturday, calling for Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit as Congress reviews their end-of-the-year federal budget.

Nearly 100 organizations across New York are calling for a boost in funding for early intervention providers due to a backlog of requests for services for the very youngest in our state to access care.

The Children's Agenda is calling for the end of suspensions for young children in New York.

Local faith leaders and community members gathered outside the offices of the Rochester City School District Sunday morning to renew their commitment to support the children of Rochester.

Children of any background or socioeconomic status can be a victim of child abuse. However, pediatrician Jeff Kaczorowski says he sees poverty be a huge stressor for families.

More child care funding is coming to help some 3,500 Monroe County kids.

Lawmakers, are coming to an agreement on a significant investment for child care. Here in Monroe County, advocates say this could affect over fifty percent of children, under the age of twelve.

Nearly half of all children in Rochester live in poverty according to the U.S Census Bureau. That ranks second highest in the nation of areas with a population of 100,000 or more. Local non-profits are disappointed but explain this is nothing new after decades of economic and political systems working…

A county-wide poll is revealing many parents are facing a series of similar struggles.

Talks between Rochester school and city officials continued on Wednesday to address violence among students at Rochester City schools.

Many parents rely on child care to help take care of their children, but lately services could be hard to find. 

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello called for new legislation that would increase early intervention resources in New York for children and students during an address Saturday.

Roughly 133,000 children in Monroe County will benefit from the new Child Tax Credit payments that began rolling out Thursday. The payments are an expansion of the existing child tax credit which is normally paid out at tax time every year. But now, qualifying families can expect to receive this…

New York’s Legislature has voted overwhelmingly to set a goal of cutting child poverty in half in 10 years.

Local advocates at the Children’s Agenda said they believe more changes should be made after the Rochester City School District released its 2021-2022 budget Monday night. The $986 million approved by the Board of Education and surpasses last year’s budget by around $58 million.

The American Rescue Plan also includes an additional round of direct stimulus checks that have already started going out, aid to help schools reopen, an expansion of the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, new rental assistance, pension relief for thousands of retirees, and more.

If you’re a part of a family with children – there’s a good chance you receive a child tax credit. President Biden’s $1.2 trillion stimulus relief package signed into law Thursday night is going to raise this credit for a year, and make it easier for you to qualify.

ROC the Future, which focuses on bettering the lives of children, gave an update on the impact of the pandemic.

The Rochester City School District is continuing to make plans to safely reopen their schools for in person learning. As of now, Superintendent Dr. Leslie Myers-Small said the district plans to have a group of students come back for in-person learning on January 4th, but there are growing concerns.

Rochester currently stands as a city with the third highest child poverty rate in the nation – and COVID-19 has worsened that. Beyond Rochester, nearly 3 million New Yorkers, including 895,000 children, are living in poverty. One in five kids struggle to meet basic needs. The pandemic has caused another…

According to a recent report from Roc the Future, the Rochester community has stepped up to improve the digital divide during the pandemic. The original report from April outlined technology disparities in the Rochester City School District. The updated report published this week says access is now a lot better.

ACT Rochester is sending out a call to action, after publishing a new report that finds that minorities in Rochester are facing huge challenges in education, housing and economics.

The RACF noted an April 15 report on the digital divide in Rochester, researched by The Children’s Agenda for ROC the Future, illustrates the problem. The U.S. Census indicates that 88 percent of Rochester residents have some type of computer, smart phone, or wireless device and, of those, 63 percent…

A new report from The Children’s Agenda said the city is in the midst of a childcare crisis. According to the report, Rochester has approximately 9,000 kids under the age of 2 at any given time, but just under 1,000 child care slots.

Many people will say that New York State is an expensive place to live, and a new study on the cost of child care supports that statement. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average cost of child care for an infant in New York is $15,394 per year. That…

ROC The Future is giving big recommendations for parents. They urge parents to take a step back, take a breath and get your mind ready for back to school. It’s the first step to be in the right mindset according to the initiative. 

Advocates for children with disabilities packed the Monroe County Legislature tonight over the funding crisis in preschool special education. 

Getting full-time bilingual teachers in the Rochester City School District has been a challenge.

"ROC the Future," a group that includes Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and Congressman Joe Morelle, is pushing for more input with the state on the direction of the Rochester City School District.