FEATURED NEWS

This week’s guest on the Raising Rochester podcast is Monica Graham. Monica is a parent of a 9th grader in the Rochester City School District and a committed advocate for parents in the district. She shares her experiences as a parent advocate, explains how she got involved in parent advocacy, and gives advice on how more parents can get involved as advocates for their children and all children in our community.

  October 2022 Smart choices. Bold voices. Those words exemplify everything we do at The Children’s Agenda. There is risk when we speak boldly, but those risks are necessary to speak up for kids. To drive effective change, we have to be audacious and pursue goals that others might see as too difficult. By being bold, […]Read More »

There's a new initiative in the works with a goal of cutting childhood poverty in half over the next decade.

The Children’s Agenda Education Policy Director Eamonn Scanlon makes the case for alternative disciplinary measures.

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

One local group is offering up alternatives to suspending kids from school and calling for changes in the state.

Despite a stated interest in moving away from harsh disciplinary practices, local schools continue to suspend students at high and unequal rates, according to a report released Thursday by The Children's Agenda.

When most people hear school suspension, they think teenagers. However according to a new report - from the Children's Agenda, 15,306 from 15 area school districts were suspended at least once in the 2020-2021 school year. 606 of the students were in grades pre-k through third.

Parents are showing cautious optimism about the new school year. That’s according to new polling by the Children’s Agenda, which took responses from 600 parents in the region about the school year.

A group of local pastors and community leaders gathered on West Broad Street early Sunday morning outside the city school district central office building as part of activities for Children’s Interfaith Weekend.

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.

The Children’s Agenda is calling for an end to school suspensions for students Pre-K to Grade 3. 84% of Monroe County parents support solutions not suspensions.

New York’s Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is still in the process of distributing federal money to child care providers.

The Children’s Agenda is calling for an end to school suspensions for students Pre-K to Grade 3. 84% of Monroe County parents support solutions not suspensions.

Parents are showing cautious optimism about the new school year. That’s according to new polling by the Children’s Agenda, which took responses from 600 parents in the region about the school year.

Preview – September 2022 E-News September 2022 Members of the Very Invested Parents (VIPs) group along with Parent Advocacy Coordinator Carmen Torres At The Children’s Agenda, we believe in the power of parents. That’s why, two years ago, we organized the Very Invested Parents (VIPs) advocacy group. This dynamic group organizes in the community and […]Read More »

Amanda Wilbert and Stacia Paganelli from Step by Step Pediatric Therapy Services join this week’s episode of Raising Rochester to discuss Monroe County’s shortage of Early Intervention services from a provider perspective. The conversation touches on their backgrounds, the importance of Early Intervention services for children and families in our community, and the workforce shortages affecting the sector in Monroe County and throughout New York State.

  August 2022 As New York’s children head back to school, each and every one of us has the responsibility to ensure every child receives a quality education in positive learning environments that support their success. That’s why The Children’s Agenda advocates for stronger schools that put children first. Educational success, however, depends not only on […]Read More »

New York’s Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is still in the process of distributing federal money to child care providers.

Rural and upstate communities, like those in the North Country, lost the most child care. 

Families are in desperate search of childcare as more than 3,000 facilities close their doors in the state of New York.

We look at child care in New York with The Children’s Agenda which recently did a study of the state’s diminishing child care infrastructure

More than 3,500 child care programs closed in New York state, leaving thousands of kids unable to access the care they need.

The Children’s Agenda just finished a study on the current childcare situation across New York State.  It found that statewide, there are 1,326 fewer childcare programs than there were before the pandemic which amounts to 10,554 fewer spots for children with parents who need to work. 

As families in New York state are facing widespread shortages in childcare, The Children’s Agenda calls for greater support from the state.

Over 3,524 regulated childcare programs have closed across the state of New York with many of those being in home child services.

Democrats in Washington had big ambitions this year to boost child care subsidies nationally as part of a broad domestic spending bill. But with those plans stalled because of a lack of bipartisan support, some states moved ahead with plans of their own.

This week’s episode of Raising Rochester has been handed over to our colleagues at the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy. The Schuyler Center recently convened a discussion about “The Path to Universal Child Care,” and we felt the conversation would be worth amplifying through our podcast. This episode is hosted by Dede Hill, Director of Policy at the Schuyler Center. She is joined by Maria Whyte, Deputy County Executive of Erie County and Shanita Bowen, Director of Operations for ECE on the Move.

  July 2022 The Children’s Agenda is unique in that we advocate at the local, state and national levels. National policies have profound impacts for children locally. For example: Service Requirements: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires services be provided at no cost and in a timely manner to children with developmental delays and […]Read More »

With just days before the district's budget is due, there are still many unanswered questions as to what is and is not included in the final draft.

People across the country are searching for ways to support many of America’s children and young adults, who say they’re facing stress, anxiety, and depression. Remote school, shuttered activities, and family job losses during the pandemic often changed their lives – and their sense of well-being. 

Rachel Bonsignore is this week’s guest on the Raising Rochester podcast. Rachel is the Executive Director of Liftoff Western NY, an initiative to ensure all young children in Western NY are ready for Kindergarten.

Jenn O’Connor is this week’s guest on the Raising Rochester podcast. Jenn is the Director of Policy and Advocacy and Prevent Child Abuse New York. She and Pete Nabozny discuss a wide range of topics, including her background, Prevent Child Abuse New York’s work and recent legislative and policy changes affecting children in New York State.

  June 2022 Moral Documents Budgets reveal priorities and values. How cities, counties and states, school districts, and our nation as a whole decide to spend our money declares who matters.  That’s why The Children’s Agenda has since our inception 18 years ago, played a watchdog role for the next generation, advocating for what children […]Read More »

A long-term decline of the industry, pandemic-driven losses, staffing shortages and high costs have contributed to a child care shortage.

Close to 300 children are now waiting for early intervention services: help with things like speech and motor skills.

Sara Taylor is this week’s guest on the Raising Rochester podcast. Sara is a parent of a child with mental health issues, an advocate for parents and families advocating the mental health system, and the founder of BIPOC PEEEEEEK, a parent organizing effort. She shares her perspective on the state of mental health care for children in our community, inequities within that system, and news about an exciting project that she and other parents are attempting to launch in the fall of 2022.

This week’s podcast guest is Danielle Jones. Danielle is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, doula, and a highly involved member of the Rochester community. This conversation focuses on her background, her involvement in the Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative, her work as a doula, and maternal wellness.

  At The Children’s Agenda, we are filled with both sorrow and outrage at yet another massacre of children. The 19 children and two teachers murdered in Uvalde are victims of what is now the leading cause of death of children and teenagers in the United States: gun violence. Employing effective public policies that stop […]Read More »

Local educators and children’s advocates are calling for policy changes to prevent future mass school shootings.

This week’s guest on the Raising Rochester podcast is Eamonn Scanlon. Eamonn is the Education Policy Director at The Children’s Agenda, and focuses a great deal of his work on the Rochester City School District’s budget. He joins the show to discuss challenges with this year’s RCSD budget, Rochester’s somewhat unique budget approval process, budget advocacy priorities, and more. After recording this episode, the RCSD Board of Commissioners narrowly passed the proposed budget, though many board members expressed a great deal of frustration with the way the budget process played out this year.

With just days before the district's budget is due, there are still many unanswered questions as to what is and is not included in the final draft.

  Budgets are value statements. We cannot reduce them to only dollars and cents or spreadsheets and graphs. They require choices and when we choose one thing over another, it reveals something about us as a community. That is why The Children’s Agenda analyzes government budgets from the Rochester City School District on up to […]Read More »

The recently adopted state budget includes a one-year expansion of two tax credits designed to help low-income New Yorkers. Listen to learn what it all means.

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.

Child care access is expanding across New York state, thanks to funding in the latest budget that was passed earlier this month.

Child care access is expanding across New York state, thanks to funding in the latest budget that was passed earlier this month.

As the state works to bounce back from the pandemic, a multibillion-dollar investment is being made to support the growth of future generations. The goal is to make childcare more accessible, but the funding could also help reduce the rising poverty level.

If you’re a working parent, if you can find childcare, it’s likely one of your largest weekly expenses. Investments made in the new New York State Budget may help relieve some of that stress.

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

The Children's Agenda released a preliminary budget analysis Wednesday outlining many of those commonly cited concerns about the current proposal.

Several community members and parents attended the Rochester City School District board meeting Thursday night to share questions and concerns over the proposed $836 million budget for the 2022-2023 school year.

After the Rochester City School District released a revised budget plan last week, some are calling for more transparency from district leaders.

This year, advocacy groups are asking families to call for more mental health supports.

Parents and advocates say the recently adopted New York state budget does not deliver on early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

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.

Justin Murphy joins the Raising Rochester podcast to discuss his new book, “Your Children are Very Greatly in Danger.” That book is a history of school segregation in Rochester, NY. It chronicles attempts to integrate schools in Rochester, as well as efforts to resist desegregation. Justin is the Education Reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, and has covered Rochester’s schools for the past 8 years. He and Pete Nabozny discuss his book, the broader context of school segregation in our community, and his recommendations for ways to begin to address school segregation in Rochester and Monroe County.

Larry Marx is this week’s guest on the Raising Rochester podcast. Larry is the CEO of The Children’s Agenda. Larry is an experienced and highly successful advocate for children and has overseen The Children’s Agenda’s growth over the past decade. He led our recent effort to commission a statistically representative public opinion poll of Monroe County parents, He joins the show this week to discuss the poll’s findings and its implications for public policy in our community and throughout New York State.

Rochester non-profit The Children’s Agenda recently released the results of a poll that surveyed 400 Monroe County parents about issues their children and families have faced and the solutions they support.

  March 2022 Listening to Parents This month The Children’s Agenda released findings from our first-of-its kind poll of Monroe County parents. The poll is a game changer when it comes to advocating for legislative change in the county and in Albany. Too often when our local and state government want to hear from parents, […]Read More »

Carrying baggage into a situation where focus is paramount can make even the simplest of tasks a challenge. Such is the case for nearly half the children in Rochester who are all living at or below the federal poverty line.

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 against average families.

While Regents testing was once considered the gold standard, some now see it as a barrier to graduation.

The Children's Agenda conducted a first-of-its-kind poll of Monroe County parents. The responses from 400 parents countywide identified issues their children and families are facing and solutions they support.

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

Monroe County families are in crisis, according to a recent poll conducted by The Children’s Agenda.

The Children’s Agenda says mental health is a top concern for parents in Monroe County. The organization released findings from a survey.

Hundreds of Monroe County parents participated in a first-of-its-kind poll conducted by The Children's Agenda.

Preview – Valuing ALL of Our Children … And Much More in the February Edition of TCA’s E-News February 2022 Valuing ALL of Our Children At The Children’s Agenda we believe there is no such thing as someone else’s child. As a community, we have a fundamental obligation to ensure the well-being of all children. […]Read More »

Isaiah Santiago is this week’s guest on the Raising Rochester podcast. Isaiah is an extremely busy senior at School of the Arts and a passionate youth advocate in the community. He and Pete Nabozny discuss his background, some of his current pursuits, and his perspective about some of the key issues in our community today.She and host Pete Nabozny also discuss recent Early Intervention legislation and Governor Hochul’s Early Intervention budget proposal.

Tina Carney is this week’s Raising Rochester guest. Tina is a committed parent advocate in Rochester and Monroe County. Tina shares her personal experience as a parent trying to get her children the services they need, describes how she got involved as a parent leader in this community, and details how she believes child serving systems need to better engage and empower parents. She and host Pete Nabozny also discuss recent Early Intervention legislation and Governor Hochul’s Early Intervention budget proposal.

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello today announced additional enhancements to the county’s child care subsidy program that will make care more accessible and affordable for residents and provide greater economic certainty for child care providers.

Stevie Vargas joins Raising Rochester for our first episode of 2022. Stevie is Upstate Campaign Coordinator for the Alliance for Quality Education, and works to organize communities across New York State to ensure that all students receive a high quality education regardless of ZIP code. AQE has also emerged as a leader to implement universal child care in New York State. The conversation focuses on the state of child care in New York, Stevie’s personal challenges accessing and maintaining child care, and the 2022-23 state budget.

For the nearly 2,500 families in Monroe County that receive some form of childcare assistance, we have some good news for you.

A recent report by The Children’s Agenda searched for several pieces of criteria, such as applications for subsidies and income eligibility criteria, and found out that most counties did not have that information.

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

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 […]Read More »

The state-wide mask mandate is still in effect amid an ongoing legal battle, but even if it were lifted, a local medical expert says schools should still require masks indoors.

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed a dire shortage of child care providers and child care funding for families. It led to an unprecendented amount of federal money being poured into child care last year: New York received over 2.2 billion dollars, an amount that's three times the annual budget. But a lot of that money hasn’t been spent, because many families don’t know it’s out there.

During Tuesday’s state budget address, Governor Kathy Hochul outlined funding for child care. Some local representatives say it’s not enough. Meanwhile, the Children’s Agenda recently released a report about how information related to child care assistance is provided locally, and it identifies barriers and gaps.

Parents looking to access child care assistance information in New York can face an uphill battle if they’re hoping to find answers on the internet.

Parents and children’s advocates have some differing views about the Rochester City School District’s decision to return some classrooms to in-person learning while others stay remote.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul last week signed legislation to increase funding for Early Intervention services for young children with developmental delays and also pledged a major funding increase for specialized schools serving children with disabilities.

Some students with disabilities may see a boost in support this coming year as Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a package of bills into law on Thursday that would do just that. The new legislation includes designating a newly established Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisory Board. The board would in part help health care providers and educators better diagnose autism.

Preview – Our Wish List … And Much More in the December Edition of TCA’s E-News December 2021 2022 Wish List from The Children’s Agenda There is a palpable excitement in kids at this time of year. A break from school, family holiday celebrations, spending all day in pajamas, hopes to play in the snow. […]Read More »

On December 1, Governor Hochul signed the Child Poverty Reduction Act into law. The bill commits New York to reducing child poverty by 50 percent over the next ten years.

Brigit Hurley joins Raising Rochester this week to discuss the proposed 2022 Monroe County budget. Brigit is The Children’s Agenda’s Senior Director of Advocacy and Programs, and has been responsible for our Monroe County budget reviews since joining The Children’s Agenda in 2012. The conversation focuses on what is important in the county budget and what The Children’s Agenda is recommending before the budget is finalized.

Katie Albitz joins Raising Rochester this week as our podcast’s first out-of-town guest to analyze the child care components of the proposed federal Build Back Better reconciliation package. Katie is the Public Policy and Advocacy Coordinator for the New York Association for the Education of Young Children (NYAEYC). The conversation touches on the important work that NYAEYC does throughout New York State, the transformational nature of the proposed federal legislation, what New York should do to best implement of this child care system overhaul, and what listeners should do to ensure it passes the United State Senate.

Preview – Building Back for Kids … And Much More in the November Edition of TCA’s E-News November 2021 Building Back for Children On November 18th, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better bill. It includes historic, transformative investments in children that will foster an inclusive and equitable recovery for our nation. With […]Read More »

ROC the Future is gearing up to release its annual State of Our Children report. This year's document is a nine-year summary showing areas of progress and what needs further work.

School officials in Rochester, New York voted on Tuesday to station police officers outside the city’s 11 high schools when students arrive and leave their campuses each day.

Now, with previously cooped-up kids back in classrooms, the number of campus fights and disruptions has grown, putting pressure on local school board officials to reestablish police presence. In recent weeks, police and private security officers have been posted outside high schools at the beginning and end of the school day — protection that could be extended pending a decision by school commissioners Tuesday.

Kristen Rogers joins the show this week to reflect on her experiences as a family child care provider. She shares her motivation for opening her program, how she tried to structure a high quality experience for the children in her care, the unique value of family child care compared to center based care, and why, after 15 years of operating her program, she decided to close. She also provides information about her current position with the Career Development Center at the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute.

Preview – Focusing on Children’s Mental Health … And Much More in the October Edition of TCA’s E-News October 2021 State of Emergency for America’s Children On October 19th a “National Emergency in Children’s Mental Health” was declared by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital […]Read More »

As Rochester schools see incidents of violence, children's advocates are calling for the school system to push forward, and not turn back by bringing police back into schools. Children's Agenda Educational Policy Director Eamonn Scanlon said disturbances involving students frequently pick up this time of year and, after the disruption of COVID-19, Rochester schools should be doing more to ease kids back into class.

Days after leaders from four Rochester City School unions asked the district to address growing security concerns – including an incident when someone fired a gun outside All City High -- residents spoke out at Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting.

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

Jessica Lewis, ROC the Future’s Communications Specialist and Urban-Suburban program graduate, joins the show this week. She and host Pete Nabozny discuss her experiences in the Urban-Suburban Interdistrict Transfer program as a child, the origins and history of Urban-Suburban, her thoughts on various critiques to the program, and her hopes for the program’s future.

Earlier this week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that $21 million in federal funding will be available to bolster the state's mental health workforce. This led The Children's Agenda and "Partners in Community BIPOC PEEEEEK" to start a discussion on how these funds can be best serve children in Rochester.

The child-care industry is down more than 126,000 workers. That's according to the Washington Post. Staff members are leaving the industry for higher-paying jobs and better benefits. This has economic impacts -- with fewer workers, fewer children can be cared for, and more parents must leave the workforce to stay home with them. The staffing crisis is impacting the Rochester region.