There are many challenges plaguing the child care sector in New York State. I will summarize a few in this testimony, and share why my organization and the Empire State Campaign for Child Care believes a $5 billion investment is needed in the 2022-23 state budget.
Affordable, safe, high quality, and nurturing child care is essential for the immediate and future success of New York State. Our goal as a state should be to increase the number of families receiving this critical support, and we should fund services that help us achieve that goal. Readily available child care helps parents remain in the workforce, contributes to economic growth and expands the labor force for employers. It also ensures that children get off to the best possible start to life.
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a $1.9 billion stimulus plan designed to accelerate our nation’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It contains a number of measures to provide direct relief to families, e.g. $1,400 stimulus checks to households, extended unemployment benefits and emergency housing assistance, and $5 billion for federal food aid. The pandemic recovery is addressed with $160 billion for vaccine distribution, supplies, emergency response, testing and the public health workforce.
A significant portion of ARPA funds are directed to children and families through provisions that include changes to federal tax credits and increased resources for child care, PreK-12 education, and closing the digital divide.
The Rochester City School District (RCSD) is facing unprecedented mid-year reductions in education aid from New York State. These cuts surpass the losses faced by any other school district in Monroe County, and are among the highest of any school district in New York State. The state’s current approach to budget reductions disproportionately targets districts with the highest needs, undermines the purpose of New York State aid to local school districts, and bolsters institutional racism in our community.
The Children’s Agenda is deeply concerned that school closures are disproportionately harming our most vulnerable children. We believe schools need to reopen safely as soon as possible, but are concerned the politicization of the issue, and the lack of sufficient resources and clear guidelines for schools, is putting reopening—and children’s wellbeing—in jeopardy.
We have a chance to use federal resources to rebuild the systems that failed children before and during the COVID-19 crisis, to make them stronger and more integrated than they’ve ever been. We hope New York State acts on the hard lessons learned during the pandemic by investing in affordable high-quality early learning, developmental services, income supports, and other strategies – at scale to fully meet the need, integrated into a seamless continuum, and sustainable irrespective of crisis – to help create a solid foundation on which New York’s children can grow and thrive.
Child care across the state and nation suffers from an extraordinary lack of public resources. Greater investments from local, state, and federal partners are needed to stabilize our community’s child care system, allow child care workers to earn a living wage, and ensure children receive the care and support they need to thrive. The purpose of this report is to inform leaders in Rochester, Monroe County, and New York State about the growing shortage of regulated care for young children, and to identify policies that can strengthen this crucial support for families.
Child care across the state and nation suffers from an extraordinary lack of public resources. Greater investments from local, state, and federal partners are needed to stabilize our community’s child care system, allow child care workers to earn a living wage, and ensure children receive the care and support they need to thrive. The purpose of this report is to inform leaders in Rochester, Monroe County, and New York State about the growing shortage of regulated care for young children, and to identify policies that can strengthen this crucial support for families.
The FY2019 Executive Budget proposes several promising reforms and initiatives that will benefit New York children, such as funding for the First 1000 Days on Medicaid initiative and implementation of Raise the Age juvenile justice policy
Make history in 2019. Put the State’s money in the early years, where it matters most.
New York can’t afford to leave generations of children behind!
State leaders must keep the promise of pre-k for all and increase investment in child care.
The purpose of the analysis is to determine whether current reimbursement rates are sufficient to attract a large enough workforce to meet the needs of children exhibiting developmental concerns.
The enacted FY2017 New York State budget establishes two important policies that will benefit Monroe County’s children and families. Paid family leave and an increased minimum wage will bring needed stability and income to working parents. While The Children’s Agenda (TCA) commends these gains, we are concerned about missed opportunities for children and families in this budget, which we fear will impact negatively on the needs of working families and the long term outcomes of New York’s children.
In the FY 2016 Executive Budget, Governor Cuomo proposes creation of the Rochester Anti-Poverty Task Force, a high-level commission formed to address the serious issues of poverty and inequity in the greater Rochester area.
A short description of TCA recommendations for the New York State budget.
