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FEATURED NEWS

  • NYS Needs to Fulfill Its Promise to Preschool Special Education
    NYS Needs to Fulfill Its Promise to Preschool Special Education
    May 17, 2022

    We need to speak with a strong and unified voice. RCSD must keep the promise they made to end the presence of armed police in our schools.  Help us make a difference by contacting the Superintendent and RCSD Commissioners today!

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 14 – TCA Education Policy Director Eamonn Scanlon on the Rochester City School District Budget
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 14 – TCA Education Policy Director Eamonn Scanlon on the Rochester City School District Budget
    May 12, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Crisis in the Classroom: Following the money
    Crisis in the Classroom: Following the money
    May 5, 2022

    New York state could soon be engaging in a new push to help reduce child poverty. The Childhood Poverty Reduction Act has passed both houses in the State Assembly and is awaiting the governor's signature.

    Read More »
  • April 2022 E-News
    April 2022 E-News
    May 3, 2022

      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 »

  • Tax credits for low-income New Yorkers get temporary boost
    Tax credits for low-income New Yorkers get temporary boost
    May 2, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Monroe County receives nearly 10K child abuse referrals each year
    Monroe County receives nearly 10K child abuse referrals each year
    April 22, 2022

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

    Read More »
  • State Funding Boosts Child Care Subsidies
    State Funding Boosts Child Care Subsidies
    April 22, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • More families can receive child care subsidies thanks to a boost in state funding
    More families can receive child care subsidies thanks to a boost in state funding
    April 21, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Crisis in the Classroom: The cost of child care
    Crisis in the Classroom: The cost of child care
    April 21, 2022

    New York state could soon be engaging in a new push to help reduce child poverty. The Childhood Poverty Reduction Act has passed both houses in the State Assembly and is awaiting the governor's signature.

    Read More »
  • How childcare investments in the budget may help your family
    How childcare investments in the budget may help your family
    April 21, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • NYS budget boosts local child care funding
    NYS budget boosts local child care funding
    April 21, 2022

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

    Read More »
  • Parents Want More Support, Greater Transparency in Rochester City School District Budget
    Parents Want More Support, Greater Transparency in Rochester City School District Budget
    April 15, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Community Members, Parents Weigh in on RCSD Budget
    Community Members, Parents Weigh in on RCSD Budget
    April 15, 2022

    New York state could soon be engaging in a new push to help reduce child poverty. The Childhood Poverty Reduction Act has passed both houses in the State Assembly and is awaiting the governor's signature.

    Read More »
  • Advocacy Organization Calls for More Transparency in RCSD Budget Process
    Advocacy Organization Calls for More Transparency in RCSD Budget Process
    April 14, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Youth Advocates Call on RCSD to Allocate More Funding for Mental Health
    Youth Advocates Call on RCSD to Allocate More Funding for Mental Health
    April 14, 2022

    New York state could soon be engaging in a new push to help reduce child poverty. The Childhood Poverty Reduction Act has passed both houses in the State Assembly and is awaiting the governor's signature.

    Read More »
  • Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Need More Support from NY State, Advocates Say
    Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities Need More Support from NY State, Advocates Say
    April 14, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • $7 Billion Laid Out for Child Care Funds in State Budget: ‘This is Historic’
    $7 Billion Laid Out for Child Care Funds in State Budget: ‘This is Historic’
    April 14, 2022

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

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 13 – Justin Murphy, Author on the History of School Segregation in Rochester
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 13 – Justin Murphy, Author on the History of School Segregation in Rochester
    April 12, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 12 – Larry Marx on Family Voices: TCA’s Recent Monroe County Parent Poll
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 12 – Larry Marx on Family Voices: TCA’s Recent Monroe County Parent Poll
    April 5, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Monroe County Parent Poll: Child care affordability, pandemic-related school disruptions, and mental health concerns
    Monroe County Parent Poll: Child care affordability, pandemic-related school disruptions, and mental health concerns
    April 4, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • March 2022 E-News
    March 2022 E-News
    March 29, 2022

      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 »

  • Crisis in the Classroom: The Impacts of Poverty
    Crisis in the Classroom: The Impacts of Poverty
    March 29, 2022

    New York state could soon be engaging in a new push to help reduce child poverty. The Childhood Poverty Reduction Act has passed both houses in the State Assembly and is awaiting the governor's signature.

    Read More »
  • Nearly Half of All Children in Rochester Live in Poverty, Second Highest in the Nation
    Nearly Half of All Children in Rochester Live in Poverty, Second Highest in the Nation
    March 29, 2022

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

    Read More »
  • Crisis in the Classroom: Potential Impact of Regents Exams on Grad Rates
    Crisis in the Classroom: Potential Impact of Regents Exams on Grad Rates
    March 14, 2022

    New York state could soon be engaging in a new push to help reduce child poverty. The Childhood Poverty Reduction Act has passed both houses in the State Assembly and is awaiting the governor's signature.

    Read More »
  • Monroe County Families Continue to Struggle from Effects of COVID
    Monroe County Families Continue to Struggle from Effects of COVID
    March 14, 2022

    New York state could soon be engaging in a new push to help reduce child poverty. The Childhood Poverty Reduction Act has passed both houses in the State Assembly and is awaiting the governor's signature.

    Read More »
  • Poll Outlines Concerns for Monroe County Parents
    Poll Outlines Concerns for Monroe County Parents
    March 14, 2022

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

    Read More »
  • New Poll Shows Monroe County Families are in Crisis
    New Poll Shows Monroe County Families are in Crisis
    March 14, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Children’s Agenda Survey Highlights Struggles Parents Face in Monroe County
    Children’s Agenda Survey Highlights Struggles Parents Face in Monroe County
    March 14, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Children’s Agenda Countywide Poll Reveals Parents and Families in Crisis
    Children’s Agenda Countywide Poll Reveals Parents and Families in Crisis
    March 14, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • February 2022 E-News
    February 2022 E-News
    March 3, 2022

    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 »

  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 11 – Isaiah Santiago, Local Youth Advocate
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 11 – Isaiah Santiago, Local Youth Advocate
    March 1, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 10 – Tina Carney, Parent Advocate and Early Intervention Services in New York State
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 10 – Tina Carney, Parent Advocate and Early Intervention Services in New York State
    February 15, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Bello Announces Enhancements to the County’s Child Care Subsidy Program
    Bello Announces Enhancements to the County’s Child Care Subsidy Program
    February 3, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 9 – Stevie Vargas and the state of child care in New York State
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 9 – Stevie Vargas and the state of child care in New York State
    February 2, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Monroe County looking to help residents pay for child care
    Monroe County looking to help residents pay for child care
    February 1, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • $500 Million Child Care Assistance Remains Unclaim, Here’s How To Apply
    $500 Million Child Care Assistance Remains Unclaim, Here’s How To Apply
    January 28, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • New York children had many policy wins last year. So what’s next?
    New York children had many policy wins last year. So what’s next?
    January 28, 2022

    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

    Read More »
  • January 2022 E-News
    January 2022 E-News
    January 27, 2022

    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 »

  • Children’s Agenda pediatrician weighs in on whether masks should be worn in schools
    Children’s Agenda pediatrician weighs in on whether masks should be worn in schools
    January 27, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • There’s a lot of unspent money out there for child care assistance. Why aren’t NY families able to access it?
    There’s a lot of unspent money out there for child care assistance. Why aren’t NY families able to access it?
    January 25, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Connections: Discussing barriers to information about child care assistance in New York State
    Connections: Discussing barriers to information about child care assistance in New York State
    January 20, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Capitol Pressroom – Parents largely in the dark about child care assistance
    Capitol Pressroom – Parents largely in the dark about child care assistance
    January 12, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Parents and children’s advocates respond to RCSD return to in-person learning
    Parents and children’s advocates respond to RCSD return to in-person learning
    January 12, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • NY Gov. Hochul signs bill for $40M Early Intervention fund but sidesteps formula change
    NY Gov. Hochul signs bill for $40M Early Intervention fund but sidesteps formula change
    January 5, 2022

    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.

    Read More »
  • Hochul signs special education bills into law; $240M in state funding to private schools
    Hochul signs special education bills into law; $240M in state funding to private schools
    December 31, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • December 2021 E-News
    December 2021 E-News
    December 21, 2021

    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 »

  • Connections: Discussing the Child Poverty Reduction Act
    Connections: Discussing the Child Poverty Reduction Act
    December 8, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 8 – Brigit Hurley on the Proposed 2022 Monroe County Budget
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 8 – Brigit Hurley on the Proposed 2022 Monroe County Budget
    December 7, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 7 – Katie Albitz on Build Back Better
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 7 – Katie Albitz on Build Back Better
    November 30, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • November 2021 E-News
    November 2021 E-News
    November 22, 2021

    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 »

  • Connections: ROC the Future’s 2021 State of Our Children report
    Connections: ROC the Future’s 2021 State of Our Children report
    November 15, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Rochester School District Stations Police Outside Schools
    Rochester School District Stations Police Outside Schools
    November 10, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • As Students Struggle in Rochester, New York, Schools Consider Bringing Back Campus Police
    As Students Struggle in Rochester, New York, Schools Consider Bringing Back Campus Police
    November 9, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 6 – Kristen Rogers on Operating a Family Child Care Program
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 6 – Kristen Rogers on Operating a Family Child Care Program
    November 2, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • October 2021 E-News
    October 2021 E-News
    October 26, 2021

    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 »

  • Children’s Agenda calling for more resources for students amid increase in violent incidents
    Children’s Agenda calling for more resources for students amid increase in violent incidents
    October 23, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Rochester City School unions ask district to address safety concerns with police, parents balk
    Rochester City School unions ask district to address safety concerns with police, parents balk
    October 21, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Parents, children’s organizations question RCSD’s plan to address violence at schools
    Parents, children’s organizations question RCSD’s plan to address violence at schools
    October 20, 2021

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

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 5 – Jessica Lewis on Experiences in Urban-Suburban Program
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 5 – Jessica Lewis on Experiences in Urban-Suburban Program
    October 19, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Talk focuses on supporting mental health needs of children in Rochester
    Talk focuses on supporting mental health needs of children in Rochester
    October 17, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Connections: How to increase access to mental health services for children in need
    Connections: How to increase access to mental health services for children in need
    October 15, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 4 – Yversha Roman on the CASH Program and the Child Tax Credit
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 4 – Yversha Roman on the CASH Program and the Child Tax Credit
    October 5, 2021

    Yversha Roman, Director of CASH at Empire Justice Center, joins the show this week to discuss the CASH program, the recent temporary expansion of the child tax credit, and local efforts to ensure that all potential recipients of the child tax credit are able to receive it.

    Read More »
  • ‘The industry is hurting for staff’: Worker shortages leave local daycares, child care centers in crisis
    ‘The industry is hurting for staff’: Worker shortages leave local daycares, child care centers in crisis
    September 28, 2021

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

    Read More »
  • Bello proposes new agenda to boost early intervention resources across NY
    Bello proposes new agenda to boost early intervention resources across NY
    September 25, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • Monroe County Executive Bello calls on Gov. Hochul to expand coverage for early intervention support
    Monroe County Executive Bello calls on Gov. Hochul to expand coverage for early intervention support
    September 25, 2021

    Monroe County Executive Adam Bello is calling for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to make sure kids in New York with special needs can get the help they need paid for.

    Read More »
  • RCSD parents push for district to invest more in mental health
    RCSD parents push for district to invest more in mental health
    September 24, 2021

    Parents in the Rochester City School District marched to the central office Thursday night asking the district to invest in mental health. They said children in this city are being impacted mentally, socially and emotionally by the violence around them and that it’s affecting their behavior at home and at school.

    Read More »
  • Connections: Discussing the staffing crisis in the child care industry
    Connections: Discussing the staffing crisis in the child care industry
    September 22, 2021

    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.

    Read More »
  • September 2021 E-News
    September 2021 E-News
    September 21, 2021

    Preview – Early Intervention Month Continues … And Much More in the September Edition of TCA’s E-News September 2021 Early Intervention (EI) Month Continues A special thank you to all who joined us for the kickoff event for Early Intervention (EI) Awareness Month; it was a blast!   Our next event will be held on […]Read More »

  • Back to School – Back to Health & Safety
    Back to School – Back to Health & Safety
    September 21, 2021

    The challenge of just getting to school, both nationally and locally, has dominated headlines as children returned to the classroom this month.  But busing is not the only challenge students face in returning to a normal school day experience.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 3 – Carmen Torres on Violence & Youth Mental Health
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 3 – Carmen Torres on Violence & Youth Mental Health
    September 20, 2021

    This week’s episode is all about sleep. Raising Rochester’s Host Pete Nabozny interviews Dr. Jack Peltz, a clinical psychologist and researcher who specializes in sleep issues.

    Read More »
  • September 2021 KCW Newsletter
    September 2021 KCW Newsletter
    September 13, 2021

    Monroe County has dedicated September as Early Intervention (EI) Awareness Month.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 2 – Jack Peltz on Adolescent Sleep and School Start Times
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 2 – Jack Peltz on Adolescent Sleep and School Start Times
    September 7, 2021

    This week’s episode is all about sleep. Raising Rochester’s Host Pete Nabozny interviews Dr. Jack Peltz, a clinical psychologist and researcher who specializes in sleep issues.

    Read More »
  • Re-imagining New York’s child care system post-pandemic
    Re-imagining New York’s child care system post-pandemic
    September 2, 2021

    Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, child care in New York could cost families up to $15,000 per year, per child. And then the pandemic hit, decimating the child care sector even further.

    Read More »
  • OCFS commissioner: Child care is ‘superhighway to economic recovery’
    OCFS commissioner: Child care is ‘superhighway to economic recovery’
    September 2, 2021

    One of the industries that was deeply hurt by the pandemic was the child care sector in New York. Over 1,200 child care operators closed permanently during the COVID-19 crisis. “It’s been a challenge for child care providers,” Peter Nabozny of The Children’s Agenda in Rochester told Capital Tonight. “Because of fixed costs and staffing, they have experienced severe losses. Especially home-based providers, the smaller providers, which are disproportionately located in urban areas and run by Black and brown women.” The good news? Thanks to several pots of federal money, there is $2.4 billion earmarked for child care stabilization, child…

    Read More »
  • August 2021 E-News
    August 2021 E-News
    August 26, 2021

    Preview – September is Early Intervention Month … And Much More in the August Edition of TCA’s E-News August 2021 Coming in September – Early Intervention (EI) Month Monroe County has dedicated September as Early Intervention (EI) Awareness Month. The County will be collaborating with community organizations, providers, and parents to plan a series of […]Read More »

  • National Grant to Transform Child Care in New York State
    National Grant to Transform Child Care in New York State
    August 26, 2021

    New York was selected as one of five states by a national funder consortium with the Alliance for Early Success to receive a $1.2 million grant over the next 3 years called “Child Care NEXT” to support the state's efforts to transform child care.

    Read More »
  • Coming in September – Early Intervention (EI) Month
    Coming in September – Early Intervention (EI) Month
    August 26, 2021

    Monroe County has dedicated September as Early Intervention (EI) Awareness Month. The County will be collaborating with community organizations, providers, and parents to plan a series of events, starting with the kickoff on September 4.

    Read More »
  • Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 1 – Kim Dooher on Special Needs Parenting and Early Intervention Advocacy
    Raising Rochester Podcast – Episode 1 – Kim Dooher on Special Needs Parenting and Early Intervention Advocacy
    August 24, 2021

    The first episode of Raising Rochester is a conversation with Kim Dooher. Kim is a parent of four, including Vivian, a remarkable 5 year old girl who has benefitted immensely from Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education services.

    Read More »
  • New York’s child care crisis: Could the sector be turning a corner?
    New York’s child care crisis: Could the sector be turning a corner?
    August 3, 2021

    Long before COVID-19, the child care sector in New York was in a state of crisis. But now there are circumstances swirling around the issue, both positive and negative, that could change the way the system functions in the state.

    Read More »
  • July 2021 E-News
    July 2021 E-News
    July 28, 2021

    Preview – Tapping National Networks to Amplify Local Parent Power … And Much More in the July Edition of TCA’s E-News July 2021 Tapping National Networks to Amplify Local Parent Power Among other partners, The Children’s Agenda drives policy and system change with parent leaders (and with RCSD, for example). A recent national re-grant of […]Read More »

  • July 2021 Federal Update #2 from The Partnership for America’s Children
    July 2021 Federal Update #2 from The Partnership for America’s Children
    July 27, 2021

    Read More »
  • American Rescue Plan Act can fund a Monroe County Child Well Being Dashboard
    American Rescue Plan Act can fund a Monroe County Child Well Being Dashboard
    July 22, 2021

    The Children’s Agenda has long supported the establishment of a Child Well-Being Dashboard, and we believe this COVID-19 recovery moment is an ideal time to create such a tool. This dashboard would also support the county’s efforts to streamline and reinvent its delivery of Human Services.

    Read More »
  • Capitol Pressroom – Lawmakers hope to shift more early intervention costs to insurers
    Capitol Pressroom – Lawmakers hope to shift more early intervention costs to insurers
    July 21, 2021

    Early intervention services are required for young children with developmental disabilities and delays, but the federal government doesn’t mandate who pays the bill, so in New York it usually falls on taxpayers. Brigit Hurley, senior director of advocacy and program for The Children’s Agenda, breaks down legislation awaiting the governor’s signature that would shift more of the burden to insurance companies.

    Read More »
  • Connections: Understanding the federal child tax credit
    Connections: Understanding the federal child tax credit
    July 19, 2021

    The Biden administration has launched the biggest anti-poverty program in more than half a century in this country. The money started rolling out last Thursday: checks to households in every state, aimed at helping more than 60 million children. Who gets the money, and how far will it go?

    Read More »
  • Extra monthly checks heading to millions of families
    Extra monthly checks heading to millions of families
    July 16, 2021

    Almost every family with children in the country is expected to be eligible for direct payments from the U.S. government for the next several months.

    Read More »
  • Experts say 86% of Monroe County families will benefit from Child Tax Credit payments
    Experts say 86% of Monroe County families will benefit from Child Tax Credit payments
    July 16, 2021

    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 credit every month, usually on the 15th.

    Read More »
  • NY bill would force insurers to pay more to help kids who need Early Intervention
    NY bill would force insurers to pay more to help kids who need Early Intervention
    July 14, 2021

    The major problem, advocates say, is that the state sets reimbursement rates for Early Intervention services in each county and hasn't raised them since at least 2011. Some rates were cut around 2010 and are now lower than they were during the 1990s.  "This pattern of inadequate compensation has led to a critical shortage of EI providers, which has resulted in delays in service delivery across the state," Brigit Hurley of The Children's Agenda, a statewide advocacy group, told the state Legislature during a February testimony.

    Read More »
  • July 2021 Federal Update from The Partnership for America’s Children
    July 2021 Federal Update from The Partnership for America’s Children
    July 6, 2021

    Read More »
  • Connections: Discussing the Child Poverty Reduction Act
    Connections: Discussing the Child Poverty Reduction Act
    June 25, 2021

    The New York State Legislature passed the Child Poverty Reduction Act. The goal of the legislation is to cut childhood poverty in half within ten years. Now, the bill awaits Gov. Andrew Cuomo's signature.

    Read More »
  • Capitol Pressroom – Expanded child care benefits enter precarious pandemic transition
    Capitol Pressroom – Expanded child care benefits enter precarious pandemic transition
    June 25, 2021

    The lapsing of the state’s disaster declaration will likely have immediate ramifications for the child care industry, with The Children’s Agenda Director of Policy Pete Nabozny highlighting a benefits cliff that parents and providers are rapidly heading toward.

    Read More »
  • June 2021 E-News
    June 2021 E-News
    June 22, 2021

    Preview – June 2021 E-News June 2021 Progress for Kids at State Level Thanks to you, 6,000 members of our online Advocacy Network, and coalitions of dozens of organizations statewide, the New York State Assembly and Senate passed five important bills supporting our community’s children.  The Children’s Agenda advocated for them all in visits to […]Read More »

  • Pride (and Affirmation) Saves Lives
    Pride (and Affirmation) Saves Lives
    June 21, 2021

    As Emma Lazarus, the poet who’s other writing (“The New Colossus”) adorns our Statue of Liberty wrote, “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.”

    Read More »
  • Lawmakers, advocates urge Cuomo to sign Child Poverty Reduction Act
    Lawmakers, advocates urge Cuomo to sign Child Poverty Reduction Act
    June 18, 2021

    The Childhood Poverty Reduction Act passed overwhelmingly during the state legislative session that wrapped up this week. Now, local leaders are urging Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign it.

    Read More »
  • Bronson, New York State Legislature pass measure with goal of halving child poverty
    Bronson, New York State Legislature pass measure with goal of halving child poverty
    June 18, 2021

    A bill setting the goal of halving child poverty in New York within a decade has passed the Legislature and now goes to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his signature.

    Read More »
  • Advocates praise passage of Childhood Poverty Reduction Act in State Legislature
    Advocates praise passage of Childhood Poverty Reduction Act in State Legislature
    June 17, 2021

    New York state could soon be engaging in a new push to help reduce child poverty. The Childhood Poverty Reduction Act has passed both houses in the State Assembly and is awaiting the governor's signature.

    Read More »
  • New York Legislature aiming to cut child poverty in half over 10 years
    New York Legislature aiming to cut child poverty in half over 10 years
    June 17, 2021

    The crisis of child poverty has gotten even worse during the pandemic. Now the State Legislature is pushing a new plan to cut child poverty in half over the next decade.

    Read More »
  • June State Legislative Summary
    June State Legislative Summary
    June 17, 2021

    Together, we made progress for kids in the state legislature! Four bills we prioritized and advocated for via visits with legislators and their staff, sharing data, testifying at hearings, and spending hours on Zoom calls strategizing with our advocacy partners were approved by the NYS Senate and Assembly! There’s one more step before they become law – the Governor must sign them.

    Read More »
  • Child Poverty Reduction Act passes, goal to cut child poverty in half by 10 years
    Child Poverty Reduction Act passes, goal to cut child poverty in half by 10 years
    June 17, 2021

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

    Read More »
  • Happy Juneteenth
    Happy Juneteenth
    June 16, 2021

    As Emma Lazarus, the poet who’s other writing (“The New Colossus”) adorns our Statue of Liberty wrote, “Until we are all free, we are none of us free.”

    Read More »
  • Connections: Members of Rochester City Council on the city’s proposed budget
    Connections: Members of Rochester City Council on the city’s proposed budget
    June 15, 2021

    The two leading plans in Washington to support children and families come from President Biden and... Mitt Romney? It's true - the Republican Senator has released his own plan to boost financial support for children, leading some in his own party to call it "welfare expansion."

    Read More »

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The Children’s Agenda advocates for effective policies and drives evidenced-based solutions for the health, education and success of children. We are especially committed to children who are vulnerable because of poverty, racism, health inequities and trauma.

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