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Education (Pre-K to 12) Reports

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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TCA’s Response to the RCSD 2026-27 Budget Vote

May 14, 2026

The Rochester City School District voted to adopt the Draft 2026-2027 Budget in a 4-3 decision on May 12th, despite vocal opposition from parents, students, and teachers. While The Children’s Agenda is glad that the RCSD Administration responded to our advocacy by restoring some of the previously cut positions for social work, guidance counseling and Home/Hospital Instruction, we are deeply disappointed with the process leading up to the vote which ended up adopting budget cuts to these urgently needed programs while other programs remained untouched or were even increased. This speaks to a central concern of ours during the budget deliberations: Too often the decisions to cut certain programs were presented as a fiscal necessity rather than a choice and set of spending priorities. This budget does not make across the board cuts or address long-term fiscal challenges. Instead, it sacrifices specific programs and support staff to maintain or increase spending on other priorities.

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TCA Review of the RCSD 2026-27 Draft Budget

April 28, 2026

The Rochester City School District (RCSD) 2026-2027 Draft Budget uses the district’s savings, significantly cuts support services for students (social workers and guidance counselors), and nearly eliminates Home/Hospital Instruction to balance the budget. However, many positions were also added throughout the book, the largest increase being for Special Education. While The Children’s Agenda has many concerns with the cuts made in the Draft Budget, we applaud the Superintendent’s investments in Special Education and English Language Learners.

The three focus areas of this report are Mental Health, School Climate and Suspensions, and School Meals, which were selected by the 70 parent leaders we work with in our Very Invested Parents (VIP) group. The Draft Budget makes deep cuts to social-emotional supports, alternatives to suspensions, and food service, which runs directly counter to our recommendations. We are also deeply concerned that no new mental health satellite clinics are opening next school year, leaving nearly 6,000 RCSD students without access to a clinic.

We call on the Superintendent and Board of Education to reverse the damaging cuts to mental health supports, social-emotional supports, alternatives to suspensions, and food service. We also need greater transparency and public discussion about the many sweeping changes being proposed in the Draft Budget.

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Fact Sheet: Universal Pre-Kindergarten Funding in New York State

March 31, 2026

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.

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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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SNS Fact Sheet for New York in 2024-25

March 2, 2026

In New York, students are suspended from schools in response to a wide range of behaviors, including minor infractions like being late to class and dress code violations. This form of punishment begins as early as Pre-Kindergarten. The overreliance on exclusionary discipline continues despite research that indicates suspensions are ineffective and harmful and that they deepen academic inequities, especially for students of color, those from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities.

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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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