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In this newsletter:
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NEW: ESCCC Legislative Priorities for 2026
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REPORT: "New York State Child Care for All: The Plan to Achieve It" + AQE Teach In
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CALL TO ACTION: Individual and Organizational Sign On Letters
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REGISTER NOW: Advocacy Day 2026
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JOIN US: HEARD Virtual Mini-Conference Part 2
- ESCCC in the News
- Happy Holidays!
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Dear Empire State Campaign for Child Care members,
As the year comes to a close, we are so immensely grateful for your support. This year has been filled with many challenges, surprises, and victories and we continue to do this work with you and for you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!
Our work here is not finished and we will be rallying, organizing, and advocating alongside you in the upcoming year. Read on to learn how you can get involved and stay connected to our efforts!
| | ESCCC's 2026 Top Policy Priorities | | |
The campaign recently released its 2026 Top Policy Priorities. Policymakers can no longer deny what we already know: the time to invest in child care is NOW! We are fervently committed to advocating for a high quality, culturally inclusive, and robustly funded child care system that meets the needs of all families - regardless of income, immigration status, or work schedule.
In New York’s 2026-2027 budget, we are calling on New York leaders to make significant, sustained, and strategic investments in child care.
| | "New York State Child Care for All: The Plan to Achieve It" Report | | |
The campaign's latest report, "New York State Child Care for All: The Plan to Achieve It", outlines actionable and achievable steps policymakers can take to put the state on the path to a child care system that works for ALL families, including:
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Providing ongoing and reliable compensation supplements to all members of the child care workforce. ($1.2B)
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Adequately resourcing New York’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) to ensure no eligible families are turned away or placed on waitlists. ($2.3B)
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Implementing two models of universal child care bridge projects in several communities around the state, to be expanded to more communities until free, universal child care is achieved statewide. ($150M)
| | CALL TO ACTION: Sign On Today! | | |
As New York City prepares for new leadership and the state prepares for a new budget cycle, we need to make clear that universal child care is something that all New Yorkers across the state want.
We invite you to email your state legislators and tell them that NYS Child Care for All is the path forward!
| | We are immensely grateful to the over 140 organizations - including nonprofit organizations, child care providers, grassroots organizations, and the business community - who signed on to our letter that was sent to Governor Hochul last week, urging her to make significant and permanent investments in the child care workforce, Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), and asset-limited communities. | | Register Now: Advocacy Day 2026 | | |
Each year, hundreds of parents, providers, and advocates travel to Albany from across the state to meet with legislators, rally together, and make their voices heard. This is a day for every parent who’s had to choose between affording child care and housing, for every provider that’s stayed up late wondering how they can keep their doors open, for every staff member who had to leave the child care workforce because they could no longer afford to stay. We hear you and together we will fight for you until those struggles are a thing of the past.
Join us for one day. One voice. One demand: universal child care for ALL New York families!
01.27.26
| | HEARD Virtual Mini Conference Parts 1 and 2 | | |
Last week the campaign's Human Rights, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Diversity (HEARD) collective was joined by Dr. Cecelia Scott-Croff, an experienced leader with a background in early childhood, special education, administration and advocacy. The first part of this series focused on federal child care funding & policy as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in New York State.
We welcome to join us for Part 2 of this mini-series, which will focus on supporting immigrant communities. We will be joined by Juan Carlos Gomez from the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), who will focus on Know Your Rights (KYR), protecting immigrant communities and enrolled families, and celebrating immigrants, culture, and language in ECE spaces.
Registration is required.
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Members of the campaign have been speaking to reporters across the state about the opportunity we have in New York State to achieve our vision of universal child care. Check out some recent publications below:
For additional articles about child care and the Empire State Campaign for Child Care, please visit our media library.
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As we begin the holiday season, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude to all of you. Thank you for your passion, dedication, and commitment to creating a better child care system across New York State. We're grateful to be in this work alongside you.
However you're spending this season - whether gathering with loved ones, taking time to rest, or continuing the important work we all share - we hope you find moments of warmth, reflection, and renewal.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season!
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