primary author betty holcomb policy director center for children’s initiatives acknowledgements




many thanks to marina marcou o’malley, operations and policy director for the alliance




for quality education for her valuable data analysis and editing and to dorothy (dede) hill,




policy director at the schuyler center for analysis and advocacy, a key partner in moving




this work forward. also, special thanks to jane brown, child care resources of rockland,




meredith chimento and jessica klos shapiro, the early care and learning council, marsha




dumka, suny empire state college, kathy halas, child care council of westchester, lucinda




hurley, nassau boces and the long island pre-k initiative, zoila morell, mercy college, beth




starks, jamestown community college and lake child care center, chris treiber, interagency




council of developmental disabilities agencies, inc. for valuable information on the early




childhood services and funding across the state. and to the migration policy institute for




detailed analysis of the changing demographics of new york’s earliest learners, with a special




focus on dual language learners. in addition, we want to thank the national alliance for early success, the booth ferris




foundation and the early childhood partners for their support.




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 3




opportunities denied




working families and the state’s youngest learners left out




highlights




• last year’s meager investment in pre-k — the smallest since 2014 — added just 476 new




full-day seats for 4-year-olds in 14 districts. continuing that strategy, it will take state




leaders 163 years — eight generations — to meet their commitment to offer every




4-year-old quality full-day pre-k.




• governor cuomo indicated he plans to add $15 million for pre-k expansion in the




2018 budget. if he makes good on that promise, new york will still leave behind three




generations of 4-year-olds. it would take nearly 57 years to make pre-k truly universal.




• more than 81,000 4-year-olds — 79 percent of those expected to enroll outside




new york city still have no full-day pre-k, despite growing demand from parents and




school districts.1




• only new york city now offers pre-k for all and is now rolling out pre-k for all its 3-yearolds. the city’s progress is appropriately recognized as path breaking. state leaders should




keep their commitment to all of new york’s children and add funding for the rest of




the state.




• the failure to expand pre-k also shortchanges dual language learners and those with




special needs who greatly benefit from a full day pre-k and integrated classrooms.




• the state still lacks a sustainable and predictable funding and financing strategy, putting




many districts and programs at risk for the future.




• the cost of child care in new york remains the highest in the nation. yet, 80 percent of




families eligible for child care assistance are denied support.2




 state leaders made the




crisis worse last year by cutting $7 million from the state subsidy program. again, young




learners miss the opportunity to be ready for kindergarten.




• rates for child care and pre-k still fail to reflect the true cost of providing services,




threatening the stability of programs and their ability to appropriately compensate




teachers and staff.




investments in quality child care and full-day pre-k more than pay for themselves, especially




in tough economic times. they are proven strategies for reversing the growing income




inequality in new york state, the most extreme in the nation by giving every child the




resources to become successful wage earners.




new york state leaders must build opportunity and stem inequality by expanding




investments in quality child care and full-day pre-k.




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 4




table of contents




highlights ...........................................................................................................................................................................3




recommendations for the 2018 executive budget .............................................................................................5




keep the promise for full-day quality pre-k.......................................................................................................7




expand access to quality child care.....................................................................................................................16




early learning: the smartest investment........................................................................................................... 20




appendix a...................................................................................................................................................................... 24




appendix b...................................................................................................................................................................... 25




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied




new york’s youngest learners still left out!




make quality early learning top priority in 2018 budget




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 5




ensure every child is ready to succeed in school and life




make quality early learning top priority in 2018 budget




recommendations for the 2018 executive budget




expand access to full-day quality pre-k




• $150 million to continue to add full-day high-quality pre-k seats outside of new york




city, including:




– $125 million to expand early learning opportunities for 15,000 3- and 4-year-olds, with




funding levels sufficient to assure quality in all settings, appropriating at a minimum of




$10,000 per child for classroom serving 4-year-olds and $12,000 for 3-year-olds.




– $25 million in supplemental funding to enhance quality and eliminate barriers




to expand pre-k, including an investment in regional technical assistance centers to




support districts to meet the highest quality standards.




• ensure the $340 million grant, which supports new york city’s pre-k for all program and




programs in 52 districts outside new york city is secured.




reform pre-k financing




• continue to consolidate the pre-k funding and move toward a single pre-k program,




with funding for additional slots distributed by allocation, like other education




funding, with funding levels sufficient to assure quality in all settings.




• conduct a cost–study of quality pre-k as recommended by the board of regents blue




ribbon committee to establish an aid formula for pre-k with funding levels that




support the true costs of quality, including a appropriate compensation and support




for qualified and effective teachers in both community programs and public schools.




expand access to quality child care




• invest $100 million to expand access to child care for working families, and stabilize




the child care workforce and infrastructure. part of the investment could be met by




directing a portion of economic development dollars, a strategy that recognizes the




critical role of child care in boosting workforce participation, improving productivity and




the need to bolster the local child care industry. the investment should:




– expand access to child care assistance to serve more children.




– restore the reimbursement rate for child care services to the 75th percentile, to




stabilize child care capacity.




– support programs to meet the increased costs of new minimum wage standards




without increasing costs to low-income families in need of child care.




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 6




“we’re going to have a statewide prekindergarten program




funded by the state. that’s what we said we are going to do and




that’s what we’re going to do. i said all along that we’ll fund the




need... and as quickly as cities can bring it online, we will fund it.”




— governor cuomo, 2014




“every child deserves a fair shot at a high-quality education...




(pre-k) funding will help level the academic playing field.”




— governor cuomo, 2016, 2017




governor cuomo and the new york state legislature:




keep the promise to new york’s youngest learners




for two years running, governor cuomo touted the power of quality early childhood education




to boost children’s life chances. using the exact same statement, word for word.




the sentiment is bipartisan.




“what is more important than making sure youngsters get the best foundation possible?




i will fight this year to get money put in the budget for upk.”




— senator carl marcellino, chair, new york state senate education committee, 2017




we agree: each young learner deserves a fair shot.




and there is no time to waste: income inequality is on the rise in new york, with “too many still




left in the shadow of opportunity,” as the governor has observed. nearly a quarter of all children




under 5 in new york now live in poverty, a reality that is especially harmful to young children and




their families. early childhood education is a proven strategy for moving both children and




families ahead, preparing children for success in school and life and ensuring family economic




security.




it’s now time to put new york’s budget where the rhetoric is.




at the pace of last year’s investment of only $5 million in new funds




it would take 163 years to keep the promise for every 4-yearold to have full-day pre-k. governor cuomo has promised to add $15




million in 2018. even if he makes good on that plan, it would take




nearly 6 decades to meet the goal.




new york can’t afford to leave generations of children behind.




state leaders must keep the promise of pre-k for all and increase the




investment in child care.




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 7




keep the promise for full-day pre-k




every 4-year-old deserves the opportunity to succeed in school




in 2014, governor cuomo made a bold pledge to make high-quality full-day pre-k available to




every 4-year-old in new york state within five years and an investment of $1.5 billion. there was




bipartisan support and the legislature agreed, making a down payment toward meeting that goal




of $340 million with $300 million earmarked for new york city’s groundbreaking pre-k for all




programs. the national media and policymakers recognized new york’s leadership for setting




that goal.




but with each passing year, the promise rings more hollow, with state policymakers scaling back




expansion plans to nearly a halt. last year’s meager investment of $5 million resulted in just 479




new full-day seats for 4s, leaving more than 81,000 4-year-olds outside new york city without




access to full-day pre-k.3




continuing that strategy, it would take state leaders 163 years to meet the goal. the




governor proposed adding $15 million in 2018. at that rate, it would still take nearly 57 years to




meet the goal. 




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 8




invest at least $125 million in the 2018 budget to expand




access to quality pre-k outside of new york city




long island’s 4-year-olds are the least likely in the state to have full-day pre-k; with a seat for just




one in 10 of those expected to enroll. this fact is a source of growing frustration, even outrage,




to families educators increasingly, the region’s elected officials. “we are here today to declare we




want pre-k for all our students on long island,“ assemblywoman michaelle solages declared last




month, at a bipartisan press conference, aimed at highlighting the inequity.4




 need is also growing




among the island’s preschoolers, with a 9 percent rise in poverty among children under the age of




six in the last decade, adding urgency to call for new state investment in pre-k outside the city.5




“i will fight this year to get money put in the budget for upk,” declared state senator carl




marcellino added, on december 11. “what could be more important than making sure youngsters




get the best foundation possible?”




long island parents live within new york city media markets and are keenly aware of the city’s




annual recruitment campaigns to fill every seat in the city’s pre-k for all program. “when people




move to long island, they expect those programs for their 4-year-olds,” solages added.




there is similar frustration upstate,




especially in smaller districts, many




in rural areas that are still shut out of




pre-k expansion. “chautauqua county




is a small, extraordinarily rural county,




and we are often neglected in terms of




services needed and not provided by




new york state. unfortunately, pre-k




is no exception,” says beth starks, early




childhood education coordinator at




jamestown community college and




director of chautauqua lake child




care center. one third of chautauqua’s




young children live in poverty, the very




children that research shows can most




benefit from quality early education.




chautauqua county has 18 different




school districts and fairly inadequate




upk offerings across the county.




there are only 3 districts out of the 18




who qualified for the last 2 rounds of




expansion. “we know the value of early




childhood education and are eager




to add pre-k, but without the state




investment, our pre-k is inadequate to




support our children. 




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 9




rising poverty, rising diversity adds to urgent unmet need




changing demographics across the state, especially rising poverty and growing numbers of




immigrant families with children who are dual language learners (dlls) make this investment an




imperative, if state leaders are serious about putting new york’s rising generations on a path to




success in school and life.




new york state now ranks third in the nation in the pace of welcoming immigrant families, with




43 percent of children birth to eight now dlls, that is, living in a home where they are exposed




to a language other than english.6




 governor cuomo and other state leaders have celebrated the




state’s new diversity, creating a state office for new americans in 2013, and proclaiming new york




a “state of immigrants” in 2017.7




 in one 2017 statement, governor cuomo declared all are welcome,




deserve respect and equal opportunity “whether you are muslim or christian, rich or poor, black or




white or brown, we respect all people in the state of new york. it’s the very core of what we believe




and who we are.”8




suburbs adjacent to new york city — especially the hudson valley and long island — now rival




the city in their diversity; with 43 percent of 4-year-olds in the hudson valley are now dlls, and




38 percent of those on long island.




“currently only a third of westchester school districts are funded by new york state to offer pre-k




to their students. westchester’s reputation as a beautiful area of large homes and country clubs




doesn’t tell the whole story. many working families struggle mightily to bring home an income and




get their children off to the best possible start in school and life. it should not be this difficult. new




york needs more investment in high quality early learning and we need it now,” says kathy halas,




executive director, child care council of westchester.




pre-k enrollment data provided by new york state education department (nysed). the number of 4-year-olds expected to enroll in




full-day kindergarten is based on the following assumptions: 85 percent of children attending kindergarten, minus children enrolled in




4410 special education schools.




*nysed estimates that new york city currently serves about 92 percent of all 4-year-olds expected to enroll. the city has adopted an




official policy of universal access, however, with the promise of a full-day seat to every 4-year-old who seeks to enroll.




see appendix a for more detail on number of children currently enrolled and those expected to enroll, by community.




163 years to full-day pre-k for every 4-year-old?




current access to full-day pre-k by community




100




75




50




25




0




percent of 4-year-olds served




new york




city*




capital




district




central




new york




finger




lakes




hudson




valley




long




island




mohawk




valley




north




country




southern




tier




western




new york




23% 24% 29%




20%




10%




21% 16% 21%




labor region




39%




100%




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 10




without an investment in quality, full-day pre-k, inequity rises, and grows for children right




through high school. “reducing disparate outcomes for our children is a heavy lift without




equitable access to high-quality pre-kindergarten experiences for all students,” constance d.




evelyn, superintendent valley stream 13.




this is especially true for the state’s growing number of dual language learners.




with quality pre-k, which includes appropriate supports for dlls, and respect for their home




language, this gap can be reduced or even erased. in fact, the latest research shows that dlls




bring special strengths to learning, and are even more creative problem-solvers, when they are




supported and welcomed into high-quality early education.9




new york’s bedrock vision for pre-k explicitly recognizes early childhood education as




foundational to success in today’s global economy.10 recently, state education officials have called




for more support for dual language learners and a long-term vision for multi-lingual public




education, starting in pre-k program.11 this new attention is critical given new york has been




slow to appropriately support dual language learners, even as the number of immigrant families




and cultural diversity surged across the state. there is also increasing demand from families of all




backgrounds to ensure their children speak a second language, and an increasing demand for such




opportunity to begin in the early years. languages are most easily acquired in the early years, and




research shows that waiting until kindergarten or later can be counterproductive, even harmful, to




children’s success, undermining their confidence and language skills later on.12




“as we think about universal access to prekindergarten, we have to be thinking about the




demographics of the preschool population —




who our children really are. there is increasing




linguistic diversity among young children




requiring approaches in pre-k that reflect our




understanding of the relationship between




language and learning. linguistic diversity




signals a moral imperative to support




and protect children’s eventual academic




achievement by integrating their home




languages in all aspects of instruction and




programming in pre-k,” says zoila morrell,




deeper learning equity fellow at mercy college




and member of the blue ribbon committee of




the board of regents. “today, we need to plan




for both bilingual education and bilingualism




in education where all teachers, bilingual or




monolingual themselves, welcome, invite, and




use children’s home languages in the teachinglearning process.”




labor region




percentage of




4-year-olds of dlls*




in each region




capital district 13%




central new york 15%




finger lakes 18%




hudson valley 38%




long island 43%




mohawk valley 13%




north country 10%




southern tier 7%




western new york 15%




states growing diversity outside




new york city




data on dual language learners by age and




economic region provided by migration policy




institute analysis of u.s. census pooled 2011-2015




american community service data.




*dual language learners (dlls) are young children,




birth to school-age, who live in a home where they




are exposed to a language other than english.




see appendix b for more details.




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 11




no pre-k expansion = harsh consequences for children with special needs




expanding pre-k also meets the urgent need to expand opportunity for children with disabilities,




whose options are rapidly shrinking. from its inception, top policymakers have seen the state’s




universal prekindergarten program as a critical pathway to better serve the 10 to 15 percent of




children with disabilities.13 research shows that diagnosing and offering appropriate support to




children with special needs in the early years can improve their educational success — and reduce




the need for more expensive remedial education later on. research also shows, and state and




federal laws require, that children with disabilities have access to early education, and be served




in the “least restrictive environment,” one which allows them to learn with other children of all




abilities. without universal prekindergarten classes, such opportunities simply don’t exist for most




children. special education funding is declining, limiting any option for the support that could put




them on a path to success.




“the consequences are visible across the state, with preschools closing their integrated classes at




an alarming rate and the opportunity for preschool students with disabilities to be educated with




their typically-developing peers diminishing by the day, says chris treiber, from the interagency




council for developmental disabilities. “keeping the promise to make pre-k truly universal with




a full-day service for all preschoolers is essential, if new york state is to ensure that preschool




students with disabilities have opportunity to attend high-quality inclusive early childhood




programs.”




the board of regents recognizes this urgent need, calling for funding to support new models




for integrated classes in as full-day pre-k expands.14 without new investment in 2018, such




opportunities will be foreclosed.




meeting the promise for all children




studies show all children can benefit from the diversity that free quality universal prekindergarten




offers.15 “young children learn from their peers and every child brings something unique to share,




whether it be resilience or a great vocabulary,“ says marsha dumka, from suny empire state




college, based in rochester,




where 97 percent of the city’s




4-year-olds are now enrolled




in pre-k.”16 “truly universal




pre-k creates the chance to




make friends: learning from




and with peers from diverse




backgrounds, with a range




of abilities and traditions




enriches learning, social skills




and understanding of our




world.”




yet only new york city and




rochester have met the




promise of universal pre-k,




while 81,000 other 4-yearolds are still shut out.




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 12




reform pre-k financing to sustain quality pre-k now and




in the future




last year, state leaders took the critical first step to consolidate the state’s multiple pre-k funding




streams, secure them and move toward a single state pre-k program in 2020. but the state still




lacks a sustainable financing strategy to sustain existing programs and establish appropriate




funding levels for new seats.




the plan for consolidation offers the promise to secure all existing pre-k funding, one year at




a time, as competitive grants expire. that approach essentially freezes districts in place with




disparate funding levels and with partial implementation of full-day pre-k for 4-year-olds. some




are frozen at funding levels as low as $2700 per child and have been shut out of the expansion of




full-day pre-k, even as parents and educators clamor for it.17




the state should establish an aid formula for pre-k, distributed via annual allocation like other




education funding. the aid formula should set funding levels based on the true cost of meeting




quality standards, including sufficient funding to recruit and retain qualified and appropriatelycompensated teachers in all settings, both in public schools and in community-based early




childhood programs. the state should undertake a cost-study, as recommended by the board of




regents in its blue ribbon committee to establish the actual costs of quality pre-k in new york.




but children can’t wait another year for new investment at funding levels necessary for a quality




program. they will be kindergartners.




in 2018, the state should add $125 million to add new seats outside new york city, funded




at $10,000 per child or double the districts half-day universal prekindergarten allocation,




whichever is greater, until an aid formula is established, based on the study of actual costs.18




data on state’s pre-k investment since 2014 from new york state education department. for more on the state’s total investment in




prekindergarten, see appendix. for more detail, see historical trends in new york state pre-k funding p. 24.




shrinking commitment to pre-k investment since governor’s promise




year-by-year increase in state pre-k funding in budget, 2014-2017




400




300




200




100




0




state investment (in $ millions)




2014 2015 2016 2017




$340m




$30m $22m $5m




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 13




the precedent and promise for this funding strategy is already established through several




expansions of pre-k, including the $340 million grant in 2014 and the state’s implementation




of the federally-funded $25 million preschool development grant that same year. the state’s




focus on high-need school districts also offered many participating districts at least $10,000




per child.




the results of such a strategy are also well established, with universal access now achieved




in new york city and nearly universal enrollment in rochester, where 97 percent of that city’s




4-year-olds now in full-day seats.




in 2018, the state should also set a separate rate for pre-k for 3-year-olds of at least $12,000




per child to address the specific needs of 3-year-olds as set forth in the state’s early learning




guidelines. that includes smaller class sizes as well as teacher preparation and additional social




supports necessary for serving younger children. the state’s current pre-k rates, based on the




needs of 4-year-olds, simply don’t recognize those costs.




strong research documents the value of starting early with children especially those considered




high-risk because of family circumstances. offering two years of preschool can lead to larger gains




for children.19 states can produce even better outcomes when the services start even earlier and are




aligned from birth to school-age.20




additional investment in 3-year-olds at appropriate rates also offers the opportunity for the state




to enhance resources for the many community-based programs that partner in delivery of pre-k




in new york, such as head start and child care programs that serve younger children as well.




pre-k funding can add new resources to add children and augment resources, especially for




programs dependent on parent fees or shrinking public investments in child care.




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 14




“syracuse has one of the highest urban poverty rates in the country let alone the




state. we know that pre-k is one of those things that works against poverty,”




says kelly ward, member of the alliance of communities transforming syracuse.




syracuse did receive some funding to expand pre-k in recent years, but not the




full amount requested. “we need more of our half-day seats for 4-year-olds to




change for full-day, and we need more seats for 3-year-olds.” syracuse also failed




to receive supplemental funding to support quality improvement, start-up or other




infrastructure. the lack of funding for transportation is an especially acute problem.




“harsh winters and parents’ job schedules prevent our youngest learners from




getting to pre-k. with no transportation, they can’t get to school. pre-k busing needs




to be reimbursed in the same manner as k-12 busing.”




invest $25 million to support quality implementation —




and eliminate barriers to expansion




the state has established high regulatory standards, but failed to invest sufficiently in the




necessary infrastructure and quality strategies as pre-k expands. the governor’s statewide universal




full-day prekindergarten program, up for renewal this year, established an important strategy of




addressing this need, with the inclusion of supplemental funding for expansion.




the 2018 investment should include an investment to fund regional technical assistance centers




to support this expansion, modeled after those created to support the expansion of community




schools and for special education. in addition, funds should be used to provide supplemental




funding for two critical purposes: (1) evidence-based strategies to attract, retain and support




qualified teachers in all settings, including improved compensation as well as professional development, coaching and mentoring; and (2) funding for other essentials of implementation, including




technical assistance and start-up funding to equip classrooms and cover transportation costs.




strengthen partnerships and support for community




programs to provide pre-k services




the state has wisely chosen to deliver pre-k services through a mixed delivery system that includes




child care and head start programs in the community. today, more than half of all pre-k services




are offered in early childhood programs outside the public schools. this is an essential strategy




that leverages existing resources and better serves the state’s working families who often need




extended hours and year-round care. some of these programs offer the expertise and capacity to




create integrated settings, so children with disabilities and typically developing children can learn




together and from each other. other community-based programs have experience and expertise




supporting children and families whose primary language is a language other than english. 




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 15




the state should offer more support to community partners with the capacity to offer integrated




classrooms, support for multi-lingual learners, and developmentally-appropriate programs for




3-year-olds. many also serve infants and toddlers, creating capacity for stable, continuous care




and learning experiences that experts say can most benefit young children, improve educational




outcomes and support the state’s goal to create a continuum of early childhood education, birth




to third grade.




however, the funding levels often do not reflect the value of these settings and the disparities in




funding levels between schools and community based programs destabilizes a critical part of the




delivery system.




our 2018 agenda for prekindergarten includes several key recommendations to address




these disparities, including the establishment of per-child rates for 3- and 4-year-old pre-k to




support quality standards. meeting this goal offers a strategy and pathway to enhance resources




for many community partners and a starting point for equity across settings. the establishment




of a regional technical assistance centers also offers a venue to strengthen collaboration




between pubic schools and their community partners, supporting joint learning and leadership




in pre-k implementation. 




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 16




expand access to quality child care




another key investment in school readiness and economic opportunity




quality child care and pre-k are companion and complementary investments. child care programs




offer year-round-services for the hours that working families need. many serve infants and




toddlers and provide appropriate settings for these younger learners. as an additional investment,




child care funding offers another critical strategy to boost school readiness and expand economic




opportunities across new york, by keeping children learning and parents earning.




“research shows that two or more years of high quality early care and education improve




children’s lifelong success, and low-income children derive the biggest gains. that means child care




is the vital bridge linking new york state’s two recent, momentous achievements for kids: our paid




family leave law and pre-k expansion for 3- and 4-year-olds,” says larry marx, chief executive




officer, the children’s agenda. “but due to years of under-investment in child care assistance




for low-income working families, that bridge is at risk of collapse, with a particularly acute care




shortage for babies and toddlers. this early care continuum urgently needs reinforcement to




ensure a better future for all our children.”




opportunities foreclosed, equity denied. new york’s youngest learners still left out! | 17




invest $100 million to expand access to child care for




working families, and stabilize the child care workforce




and infrastructure




quality child care is often called the new essential for today’s families, and with good reason.




two-thirds of new york’s increasingly diverse families are in the workforce, and most work fulltime by the time their children are three.21 nearly that many are in the workforce even before
watchdog group calls on sen. hise to recuse himself over campaign finance accusations