Governor Kathy Hochul reads to children on Long Island
Governor Kathy Hochul is highlighting a $125 million investment in early childhood education as part of the 2023 state budget.
The enacted budget uses the investment to expand access to full-day pre-K for four-year-old children, creating approximately 17,500 additional pre-K seats statewide. Of this $125 million, $100 million was allocated by formula and $25 million will be awarded through a competitive process administered by the State Education Department.
In addition to a significant expansion of pre-K seats, the budget includes a historic investment in child care. The budget more than doubles the State’s investment in child care with $7 billion in funding over four years. The income eligibility for subsidies is increased from 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level to 300 percent, expanding access to more than half of young children in New York.
The budget also expands access to high quality child care by increasing the child care market rate to include 80 percent of providers, broadening the child care options available to subsidy families while also increasing reimbursements for child care providers. The budget also includes $343 million to support the child care workforce by providing stabilization grants to providers, with 75 percent of those grants dedicated to workforce supports, including wage increases, bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and contributions to staff retirement plans and health insurance costs. The budget also includes $50 million in capital grants for child care providers to construct, rehabilitate or renovate child care facilities, further enhancing programs that serve children and their families.
The pre-K and child care investments complement a record level of school funding in the budget. The budget provides $31.5 billion in total School Aid for school year 2023, the highest level of State aid ever. This investment represents a year-to-year increase of $2.1 billion, or 7.2 percent, compared to school year 2022, including a $1.5 billion or 7.7 percent Foundation Aid increase, representing the second year of Governor Hochul’s three-year commitment to fully fund Foundation Aid.
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