Governor Hochul Announces Child Care Expansion Pilot Partnerships With 3 Counties as Part of Statewide Investments in Universal Child Care

Launching 2-Care and Reaching Universal 3K Access in NYC

New York City has already launched universal Pre-K and 3K, and Governor Hochul will partner with New York City to age this program down and launch an unprecedented initiative to offer entirely free child care for two-year-olds within New York City.

The Governor is committing to fully fund the first two years of the city’s implementation. As envisioned by the new mayoral administration, the first year of the program will focus on high-need areas selected by New York City and expand to serve all interested families across the city by year 4. In addition, the Governor will partner with New York City to strengthen and fix the city’s 3K program and ensure it achieves its promise of universal access.

Office of Child Care and Early Education

A new Office of Child Care and Early Education will drive the implementation of high-quality, universal child care in New York State. The Office will oversee and support roll out of universal Pre-K, continued investment in 3K, launch of 2-Care and other innovative care options, expansion and improvement of vouchers, and ongoing support for the workforce.

Supporting the Workforce Through Early Childhood Educator Preparation

Governor Hochul’s plan to strengthen New York’s early childhood education workforce includes expanding existing workforce scholarships, seeking opportunities for new Workforce Pell grants, and directing SUNY and CUNY to take a number of steps to expand and streamline early childhood education programs.

Expanding the Child and Dependent Care Credit to Better Support Families

Governor Hochul will expand and simplify the child and dependent care tax credit to provide an additional average benefit of $575 for 230,000 tax filers. She will also undertake a thorough review of existing tax incentives for employers with the goal of helping them better serve the child care needs of their employees.

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Getting to Universal Child Care across New York will be incredibly important, and the Dutchess County Early Learning Coalition and the DAY ONE Program have been leading the way to find innovative models to get there. Today’s announcement selecting Dutchess County as one of the State’s first pilots is incredibly exciting, and I’m thrilled to see both the Coalition and DAY ONE recognized for their work. I thank Governor Hochul for elevating the expertise, creativity, and leadership here in Dutchess as a model, and for her commitment to achieving Universal Child Care across the state.”

Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “An investment in a child at a young age is an investment in a lifetime of success. For working families trying to make ends meet, universal child care is a weight off their shoulders, giving their children access to high-quality care while allowing them to invest in their child’s future. I applaud Governor Hochul for making this a priority for all of New York State, I’m grateful that families in Monroe County will be able to take advantage of this pilot program, and I look forward to our continued work to ensure New York is leading the way towards a more affordable home for all.”

State Senator Rob Rolison said, “Affordable, high-quality child care is critical for working families and the future of Dutchess County. Governor Hochul’s partnership with the county through this new pilot program will expand access for families with young children, strengthen the early childhood workforce, and build on proven local efforts like DAY ONE. This is a smart investment that helps parents work and ensures children get the strong start they deserve.”

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “I appreciate the Governor’s efforts to increase universal access to child care across the state. We know how challenging the cost of child care is to most families, impacting their economic security and future plans. I am thrilled that Broome County was chosen to host one of the state’s child care pilot programs and that planning is underway to achieve universal Pre-K for four years olds by 2028.”

Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson said, “Governor Hochul’s universal childcare strategy is the kind of bold action we need to lower costs for working families. By investing $1.7 billion to expand affordable, high-quality are to nearly 100,000 additional children, we’re putting money back into parents’ pockets and building the foundation for a more equitable economy that works for everyday New Yorkers, not billionaires. I look forward to working with the Governor and my colleagues to ensure we reach this objective and have parity for Upstate New York families.”

Assemblymember Didi Barrett said, “I am thrilled to see the Governor’s commitment to universal child care is coming to Dutchess County – building on my own recent investment of $1 million to fund the expansion of child care facilities and services at Dutchess Community College to include infant care for the first time. Universal child care sets our children up for success while allowing parents and caregivers to get back to work, creating and ensuring good-paying jobs, and bolstering economic development. Today’s announcement shows New York’s commitment to making child care truly universal – reaching children of all abilities in all regions of the state.”

Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson said, "In the past, universal programs have too often left out the Hudson Valley and Upstate. Today’s announcement shows that the Governor is committed to including us. I look forward to seeing this program grow across my district.”"

Assemblymember Sarah Clark said, “For far too long, we’ve known our child care ecosystem needs both investment and imagination to truly work for our providers and every child and family regardless of their situation. As the realities of working parents evolve and the costs continuing to rise, finding ways to innovate in our child care programs is critical. Our first Mom governor is proposing exactly that, identifying communities to test and try pilot programs that will ensure truly universal childcare for every family regardless of income or workforce needs. Allowing Monroe County and other communities in the state to expand child care options, especially for children 0-3, will create opportunities, financial stability and increased support for working families. As we continue the budget process over the next three months, I look forward to working with Governor Hochul, our legislative body in the Assembly and the #Momsquad on solutions like these types of pilots that will put Rochester and all of New York State on a real path to universal child care.”

Assemblymember Demond Meeks said, “As a parent and a grandparent, I know firsthand how critical access to affordable, high-quality child care is for working families and for the long-term success of our communities. I commend the Governor’s commitment to fully funding the early years of New York City’s child care expansion, strengthening the 3K program, and investing in the early childhood workforce. These initiatives will help ensure families, especially those in high-need communities, have the support they need while giving our children a strong start and our workforce the stability it deserves.”

Assemblymember Jennifer Lunsford said, “This is a total game-changer. When I first began running for office my son was 15 months old and we were spending over $18,000 per year on childcare. Making childcare more affordable has been one of my top priorities since taking office, and while we have been successful increasing access to subsidies and bolstering the childcare workforce, true universal childcare seemed out of reach-- until today. Monroe County hosting this pilot will change lives. Not only will this put thousands of dollars back into the pockets of young families, it will act as an adrenaline shot to our economy, allowing parents to keep working, or return to work, because they can afford to put their children in safe, quality childcare. Thank you to my fellow mom in government, Governor Kathy Hochul, for helping us get this done.”