Universal Pre-Kindergarten: New York State has made significant strides in expanding full-day pre-K to all four-years-olds and to some three-year-olds, but some critical challenges remain. These include the lack of transportation, wraparound services, and, more importantly, the lack of adequate pay for teachers working in community-based organizations that contract with school districts to provide pre-K programs.
Per-child rates must be raised in all districts to at least $10,000 per child, particularly in districts that have not seen increases in decades, and pre-K must begin to be funded as another grade within the public education system, instead of the siloed approach the state has consistently taken toward early care and learning. With significant portions of care being provided by community-based providers, real equity demands that providers in these spaces receive equitable levels of funding support as public school-based programs.
The evidence is overwhelming. Pre-K along with early care and learning programs are some of the most effective educational strategies for addressing inequality, supporting working families’ ability to work, and setting children on a path to long-term success. Research shows that for every dollar invested in high-quality early education, the return is between $3 and $7 in long-term savings and benefits. This includes reduced spending on special education, remediation, and incarceration – costs that the state currently bear at high levels, but that are significantly reduced when children have access to quality, full-day pre-K.
All families in New York must be able to access child care assistance, with lower-income families prioritized to promote equity and address the greatest barriers to access.
Early care and education is a right, not a privilege. High-quality early childhood education creates long-term benefits for children, families, and communities. It is an essential part of our early education system, and critical to our state’s economy. Yet early childhood educators earn poverty wages, too often leaving its workforce for better paying jobs. Parents can’t afford to pay more and programs can’t afford to charge less. This impacts both the quality of care and how many families can access it. This fall, New Mexico showed the nation what’s possible by implementing truly universal, no-cost child care – proof that bold, statewide action can be done, and that New York’s leaders have no excuse not to follow suit.
Workforce Compensation: Significantly increase compensation for every member of the child care workforce so they can remain in this critical profession.
Entitlement for Lower-Income Families: Make child care a state-funded entitlement for families earning less than 250% of the federal poverty threshold.
Access for Children with Special Needs: Raise reimbursement (enhanced) rates and remove barriers for children with special needs to access care, while making it easier for providers to receive these enhanced rates.
Expanded Assistance: Increase state funding for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) to address CCAP enrollment growth and prevent service gaps, particularly in counties facing funding crises.
These priorities reflect AQE’s bold vision for a fully-funded, more equitable child care system that values children, uplifts educators, and makes it possible for all working families across New York State to thrive.
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