Overview
Every child in New York deserves a quality education, beginning in pre-kindergarten, to be the basis for their future success. Approximately 90% of a child’s brain development happens before they enter the formal school system at age five. Because of this, early care and education programs are a critical support for young children, improving kindergarten readiness rates and positively impacting students’ short- and long-term educational outcomes through:
- Increased social, emotional, physical, and behavioral development
- Stronger early reading and math skills
- Decreased chance of repeating a grade in elementary school
- Higher rates of high school graduation and college attendance
Despite these benefits, inadequate per-pupil rates and structural flaws in New York’s approach to funding Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) have significantly slowed expansion outside of New York City. Paired with her push for universal child care, Governor Hochul has committed to finally achieving a universal pre-kindergarten program for all four-year-olds statewide by the 2028-2029 school year. To further strengthen the Governor’s proposal, The Children’s Agenda recommends higher per-pupil rates for districts’ three-year-old programs (3K), and additional structures to support inclusion of students with disabilities and community-based organizations in the UPK system.