2026 State Policy Priorities
December 11, 2025
Find out what our key legislative priorities are in child care, family economic security, developmental services, and education for children throughout New York.
Education (Pre-K to 12) Reports
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Reimagining Universal Pre-Kindergarten Funding in New York: Addressing Equity and Funding Sustainability
October 30, 2025
Every child in New York deserves a quality education, beginning in pre-kindergarten, to be
the basis for their future success. Providing such an education requires adequate, equitable,
and sustainable funding. The existing Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) funding mechanism,
however, is complicated to administer, has several structural flaws, and provides inadequate
per-pupil funding. Under the current system, districts receiving the minimum per-pupil amount
or those already serving nearly all eligible families face years of flat funding, with few options
to increase their allocations.
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.
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.
The Children’s Agenda’s Statement on the 2025-26 State Budget
May 9, 2025
The 2025-26 state budget was approved by the Senate and Assembly yesterday, with mixed results for
children. Click here to review our initial summary of wins as well as the two key areas that elected officials failed to make progress for children and families. We will release a more detailed analysis once our team has had time to thoroughly review the full enacted budget.
Review of Key Priorities in Proposed Budget for Rochester CSD 2025-26
April 30, 2025
The Children’s Agenda’s annual review of the Rochester City School District (RCSD) budget is a collaborative effort with the over 70 RCSD parents and caregivers who make up the Very Invested Parents (VIP) group. Every dollar spent by RCSD is directly or indirectly connected to children. The Children’s Agenda prioritizes our advocacy based on both what parents see as the most pressing issues facing their children, and what research says are the most effective policy and funding solutions.
This report is divided into three sections based on areas of concern selected by the VIPs: Mental Health, School Climate/Student Discipline, and Transportation. Each of these topics has a direct impact on student performance at school. When children are not present physically, or preoccupied emotionally and mentally, they are falling behind. Students need the motivation and ability to concentrate that comes with good mental health. Children also should not miss classes because of transportation issues or suspensions and expulsions.
SNS Factsheets for Select Monroe County School Districts in 2023-24
April 7, 2025
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.
Which Executive and Legislative Budget Proposals Benefit New York’s Children and Families Most?
March 17, 2025
Governor Hochul, the State Senate, and the State Assembly have put forth their budget proposals for the 2025-26 year. Our team has reviewed the proposals to determine what best aligns with The Children’s Agenda’s priorities in Child Care, Child Poverty, Early Intervention, Education (PreK to 12), and Health & Mental Health.
Prioritizing Equity in New York’s School Funding: The Foundation Aid Formula
March 17, 2025
Every child in New York is entitled to a sound, basic education. Providing such an education requires adequate and equitable funding. After years of advocacy and a lawsuit brought by parents who were frustrated by the chronic underfunding of schools, New York State developed the Foundation Aid formula in 2007 to create equitable school funding across districts. The formula is designed to be progressive, factoring in community wealth and student need in order to direct the greatest State funding to districts with the fewest resources and the highest needs.
2024 Impact Update
March 3, 2025
The Children’s Agenda is a bold voice for children. We are pleased to share highlights of what we achieved for children and families in 2024.