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Developmental Services - Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education Reports

Fact Sheets: The State of Early Intervention by County in New York

July 8, 2026

A recent study from the Journal of the American Medical Association found, as have others, that when children with developmental delays and disabilities receive EI therapies, they are significantly more likely to meet proficiency standards in third grade language arts and math, resulting in compounded savings in the PK-12 system.

Despite the importance of this program and the IDEA’s legal mandate, New York State has repeatedly failed to make the necessary investments to ensure Early Intervention providers are there when children need them.

This is the first time we have had this amount of data about Early Intervention at the county level. Our team has done the research so that you – families, advocates, policymakers, and community members – can view the latest information about the state of Early Intervention in every county, and how each county compares to statewide data.

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TCA’s Statement on the NYS 2026-27 Enacted Budget

June 1, 2026

The Children’s Agenda is grateful for the groundbreaking investments in New York’s child care system in the SFY27 enacted budget. Proposed by the Governor and with full support from the legislature, the $3 billion dedicated to the program is a significant milestone on the path to achieving universal child care. We are disappointed that there were no new investments in the child care workforce and are concerned that the fragile condition of the workforce will be a barrier to the success of this initiative.
Similarly, we applaud the $1.6 billion investment in New York’s Universal Pre-K program, enabling the program to serve nearly all 4-year-olds in the state. The Children’s Agenda is disappointed that State leaders failed to ensure equity for three-year-old children in need of Pre-K programs outside of New York City. To achieve a truly universal Pre-K system, New York State must increase per-pupil rates for all pre-kindergarteners.
With the Early Intervention program, so effective in helping infants and toddlers get developmentally on track, only level-funded at $205 million, we are deeply concerned that the state is leaving behind thousands of children and families whose rights to those services and therapies are neglected in this budget.

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2025 Impact Update

March 23, 2026

Every sturdy structure begins with a strong foundation, and every meaningful change in the lives of children and families starts the same way: with people who believe it is possible, and who commit themselves to making it real.

That is the spirit behind this year’s Impact Report, and its theme: Building Blocks of Progress.

Throughout 2025, we continued to focus on initiatives that create positive, long-term change for children and families across New York state. Because persistent structural and racial inequities result in worse outcomes for children of color and minoritized children especially, we work to center the voices and lived experiences of families in everything we do, from local neighborhoods to the state capitol. Our strengths in policy-driven research, effective organizing, and impactful advocacy are only as powerful as the community of people and organizations that stand behind them.

We also know that this work does not happen in a vacuum. Political headwinds shift. Budgets are contested. Hard-won progress is sometimes threatened. But our answer remains the same, regardless of any one election or new law: we keep fighting for children, we keep building power, we keep exposing cruelty, and we keep making the case for policies that work.

We never give up on a New York where every child thrives.

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TCA’s Response to the NYS Senate and Assembly One-House Budget Proposals

March 17, 2026

We applaud both the NYS Senate and Assembly for building on Governor Hochul’s proposed budget with bold investments that will transform the lives of children and families across New York. At the same time, we believe there are missed opportunities for New York’s children and families.

Read more to find out what The Children’s Agenda supports in the One-House budget proposals.

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TCA’s Response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2026 State of the State Address

January 15, 2026

In her 2026 State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed bold investments that will profoundly and positively impact children, families, and our economy across the state for generations to come. In a time of real setbacks from the current federal administration, we applaud Governor Hochul’s leadership and determination to fight for families.

Read more to find out what we’re applauding this year, what we believe is missing, and what New York voters say they want from State leaders in this year’s budget.

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Reimagine the Future: The Need to Reform Early Intervention in New York State

October 15, 2025

New York State’s Early Intervention program is in crisis and ranks 48th in the nation for delivering on-time Early Intervention services. Infants and toddlers languish on waitlists for life-changing therapies, and data show disparities in access based on race and geography. Federal authorities have identified clear failures in due process.

To reimagine the Early Intervention program and meet the needs of infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities, the State must increase resources for the Early Intervention program and adopt reforms to improve its performance.

In this report, we examine key elements of successful state systems and provide an update on the status of New York’s Early Intervention program.

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Our Statement on the 2025-26 NYS Legislature Session

June 25, 2025

In its 2025 session, the New York State legislature made positive steps forward for New York’s children and families and yet missed many opportunities to address longstanding problems. New York’s children are threatened by recent federal actions and looming legislation that will lead to higher rates of child poverty, more food scarcity, and a loss of health care. State leaders missed several opportunities to provide our children with additional support to mitigate the harm of federal cuts. We look forward to working with our partners in government to address these shortcomings in the future.

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Milestones Matter: The Children’s Agenda Reviews the New York State 2025-26 Budget

May 22, 2025

The 2025-26 New York State budget contains some milestone wins for children and families – and some big misses. We are grateful that Governor Hochul and the State Legislature listened to the calls of advocates and took bold actions to boost economic security and health for New Yorkers. These gains could be threatened unless additional investments are made in areas missed this session.

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Investing in New York State’s Early Intervention Program Factsheet

March 19, 2025

Between zero to three years old, a child’s brain is developing 1 million new neural connections per second. 90% of our brain is fully developed by age 5.

The Early Intervention (EI) program was established in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to guarantee every infant and toddler the chance to reach important developmental milestones during this critical time. New York’s Early Intervention program is currently not able to deliver on that promise.

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Family Voices: Monroe County Parent Poll

March 9, 2022

The balance between caring for children and work is a crisis or major problem for 7 out of 10 Monroe County families and 5 out of 10 parents say their stress is high as a result of the pandemic. The stress parents are experiencing has three branches: affording and accessing resources, pandemic disruptions in schools, and mental health impacts of the pandemic.

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