*Read the full report detailing how we get to universal child care.
Universal Child Care means child care for ALL, in a system that values and compensates educators adequately so they can thrive.
Early care and education are 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, and are too often forced to leave 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 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.
In 2026, New York State must:
Increase child care supply and quality throughout New York State
Workforce Compensation: Create a permanent workforce compensation fund as the bill carried by Senator Brisport and Assemblymember Hevesi outlines (S.5533/A.492-A). Increase compensation for every member of the child care workforce so they can remain in this critical profession. This is an issue of racial, economic, gender, and immigrant justice, as most child care educators are women of color and immigrants, yet they are paid poverty wages despite their essential work.
Support the state’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP): Increase state funding for the CCAP to address growing enrollment and prevent service gaps, especially in counties facing funding crises. Currently, 27 counties statewide are facing shortfalls.
Bridge to Universal child care:
- In communities with a high percentage of low income families, the state should apply the community eligibility standards to access CCAP, in the same way that they replaced Free and Reduced priced lunch.
- Cap the copayments of families with income over the threshold to qualify for CCAP (which is 85% of the state median income) to $20 per day or $100 per week.
View our other 2026 priority campaigns.
Publications & Resources
See all our latest publications here.
Take Action
Urge our state legislature to support universal child care.
See all our latest petitions and letter campaigns to contact your elected officials.
You can also look up your State Legislators and their contact information.