The state says members of their team are meeting with county officials on a regular basis as they work to develop specifics throughout the fall.…

A survey of Rochester high school students found the top reasons for chronic absenteeism were illness, family emergencies and transportation issues. The report also highlighted…

September 2026 E-Newsletter Looking at Chronic Absenteeism in Monroe County The Children’s Agenda has just released a new report: Beyond Attendance Awareness: Chronic Absenteeism in…

Research on the national expansion of universal pre-K programs found that when public child-care programs for older kids move into a neighborhood, providers serving younger…

We get a status update on accessibility issues with New York’s child care subsidies and consider what needs to be done to realize the state’s…

As New York moves toward universal prekindergarten for 4-year-olds, the debate over what comes next is increasingly turning to 3K and how the state can…

When we talk about childcare, we often talk about it as a family expense. But for working parents, childcare is directly tied to our ability…

"Every young child in our community deserves safe, nurturing, and reliable child care. Parents in our community should never be forced to leave the workforce…

August 2026 E-Newsletter Poverty is a policy failure, not a personal choice We were honored to partner with the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability…

New York has taken another step toward creating a universal child care system, with Monroe County at the forefront. Gov. Kathy Hochul has directed $20…

Summer 2026 E-Newsletter   Celebrating another year of parent-led advocacy What a night to remember! We gathered at the beautiful Memorial Art Gallery for our…

Thanks to the grant, one hun­dred work­ers at Mount Kisco Child Care Cen­ter, Lois Bronz Chil­dren’s Cen­ter in White Plains, and Eliz­a­beth Mas­cia Child Care…

High childcare costs have afflicted Americans for years, so New York State is introducing new funding for childcare. Children's Agenda policy director Pete Nabozny joined…

The waitlist for New York City’s enormously popular childcare voucher program for low-income families has ballooned to 25,000 kids and isn’t likely to shrink, according…

June 2, 2026 E-Newsletter Significant Wins, Others Left Behind: Our Statement on the NYS 2026-27 Enacted Budget The Children’s Agenda is grateful for the groundbreaking…

For over a year now, many families who are eligible for a state childcare subsidy haven’t been receiving it. That’s because demand for that program…

Childcare providers around the state said the governor’s proposal is historic, but fails to properly address the workforce shortage and waitlist backlogs. They’re urging legislative…

April 2026 E-Newsletter Rochester City School District’s Budget Must Support Students’ Mental Health As longtime advocates for improving educational outcomes for Rochester students, The Children’s…

Education advocates are pushing for more state funding for 3-year-old prekindergarten programs in Rochester and across New York. Local advocates hosted a press conference Wednesday…

NEW YORK — New York City lawmakers and advocates are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to boost funding for child care vouchers to shrink a…

More than half of New York counties have stopped enrolling eligible families in the state’s child care voucher program as of mid-March amid a funding…

Spring 2026 E-Newsletter State Budget Watch State policymakers have proposed transformative investments in children and families this year, and we have high hopes that the…

New York State’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) allows eligible families to receive low-cost child care so parents can work or pursue an education while…

February 2026 It’s Time for Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) The research is clear: Attending Pre-Kindergarten leads to short- and long-term improvements in children’s academic and behavioral…

Families in rural areas of New York say it is increasingly difficult to find child care. According to a report from the Children's Agenda, seven…

Gov. Kathy Hochul made a visit to The B.C. Center at SUNY Broome Feb. 4 to visit the children enrolled in the program and to…

January 2026 With the Governor’s budget book in hand and the Legislature in session, our team is focused on building support for historic progress this…

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…

A group of New York lawmakers and child care advocates are pushing to prioritize better pay for the child care workforce in this year’s state…

Nearly 16,000 New York City kids and their families are languishing on a ballooning waitlist for child care vouchers as the city runs out of…

Hundreds of parents, providers and advocates are heading to the state capitol in Albany on Tuesday to rally for universal child care. They're calling on…

Larry Marx, CEO of the Children's Agenda, said they need the federal government to recognize that childcare is a public good. "It's essential to the…

Our Response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2026 State of the State Address In her 2026 State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed bold…

Parents are cutting back on child care as costs stretch budgets. Research shows 1 in 5 families face child care hardships because of the expense,…

Broome County will play a major role in Gov. Kathy Hochul's $4.5 billion push to deliver statewide universal childcare. Broome County is one of just…

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…

Advocates in New York State are celebrating an announcement today by Governor Kathy Hochul. Her administration is investing in statewide universal pre-K and additional programs…

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday will unveil a plan to vastly expand free or affordable child care for New Yorkers across the state over the…

The Trump administration is freezing $10 billion in child care subsidies to five Democrat-led states, including New York. Pete Nabozny, Director of Policy, talks about…

Winter 2025 E-Newsletter Our 2026 State Policy Priorities Our key priority areas for 2026 are: • Child Care • Family Economic Security • Developmental Services…

Voters across New York — both Democrats and Republicans — want the state to invest more in affordable child care, a new poll found. It’s…

Policymakers of all stripes in New York are talking about increasing access to child care, but there isn’t a consensus on how to get there.…

November 2025 E-Newsletter November was National Family Engagement Month, and we are so grateful for our Very Invested Parents (VIPs) and their unwavering dedication to…

Advocates with the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, who have long lobbied the state to set out on a realistic path to a universal…

The Empire State Campaign for Child Care has proposed a roadmap to universal child care that includes two major funding bridges, each worth $75 million.

Monroe County receives the third largest allocation from the state’s Child Care Block Grant fund, but The Children’s Agenda says the county risks closing enrollment…

Parents and advocates from The Children's Agenda argue that the county has historically excelled in enrolling families in its child care assistance program and fully…

Budgets ARE moral documents. As much progress as we’ve made at the state level, with New York now leading the country in universal school meals,…

As Governor Kathy Hochul publicly touts her support for universal child care, her office told New York Focus that it has privately convened a coalition…

Budgets ARE moral documents. As much progress as we’ve made at the state level, with New York now leading the country in universal school meals,…