As we wrap up the first three years of the Raising NY coalition, we are taking the opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made thus far and recalibrate our coalition priorities to ensure that we are maximizing the opportunities of our current context and developing a clear strategic plan for the future.
And as a new legislative session kicks off in January, The Education Trust–New York, which convenes the Raising NY coalition, will be focusing on the following statewide early childhood education priorities in the upcoming budget season:
- Access to Affordable, High-Quality Child Care: All families with infants and toddlers should have access to and be supported in accessing affordable, high-quality, safe, and culturally responsive child care and early learning experiences. We support investments that seek more universal supports for infants, toddlers, and their families. We believe every little New Yorker, age 0-3, should be supported by a universal child care system complete with infrastructure that prioritizes quality through a transparent, equity-driven quality rating improvement system and a justly compensated workforce.
- Access to Health and Developmental Care: We believe all families with infants and toddlers should have supported access to programs that value strong and positive relationships with families. Support for families must ensure that parents, infants, and toddlers receive relevant screenings and a comprehensive and complementary set of services that promote positive maternal health outcomes and infant and toddler development.
- Reducing Childhood Poverty: We support investments and policies that advance economic security. Families with young children and low income require more opportunities to achieve economic security like well-designed subsidies, voucher systems, and poverty-fighting tax credits. Every family should have the resources to provide nutritious foods, quality housing, health, and child care.
- Systems Alignment: In order to meet the needs of families and their young children, New York’s health, mental health, education, child care, social services, and safety net systems require better connection and coordination. We support policies that address the significant infrastructure fractures in the state’s early childhood systems. These systems currently require adequate funding to meet the needs of families with infants and toddlers and child care providers.
The Education Trust–New York has also analyzed Governor Hochul’s State of the State address and dives into what early childhood investments are included and what other equity priorities, including some of the above, that state leaders should also focus on this legislative session. Check out the analysis.