New York State continues to face persistent performance gaps and systematic underfunding. This disparity is unmistakable across race, income, and disability status.  New York City schools remain one of the most segregated school systems in the country, not only by race but also by class. Many Black and Latino students attend schools that are over 95 percent minority students. Race and class overlap, with some data indicating that 52 percent of Black students and 62 percent of Latino students are living near or in poverty. Black and Latino students graduate at a rate of 75 percent while their white and Asian counterparts graduate at a rate of 90 percent.  This segregation of schools has a visible disparity in educational attainment. Class warfare without accounting for the intersectional impact of race will only keep our children away from achieving equitable outcomes. From early childhood, we need to ensure that children are given fair opportunities. 

I fully support universal childcare; however, we need to ensure equity and access for all communities. Neighborhoods with some of the city's highest poverty rates, like Brownsville, had more open pre-K and 3K seats than wealthier neighborhoods. Research shows that 64 percent of New York residents live in child care deserts, and many centers are struggling to stay open due to delayed reimbursements and deep workforce challenges, indicating there are not enough staff to meet requirements. Current mandate requires one adult for every four infants under 12 months, with a maximum of eight babies allowed per class; one adult is required for every five toddlers ages 12–24 months; one adult is required for every six toddlers ages 2 to 3 years old. With the lack of pay parity to retain and recruit, we don’t have the existing workforce to meet an immediate expansion. As we address one end of the problem, reducing the cost of child care for families, we need to ensure the infrastructure to provide quality care is stable, and we are managing the people’s money towards real equity. 

1. Protect and create a system that bolsters parent choice with equity in where their child receives an education. 

2. Hold the city accountable for ending segregation in our New York City schools and managing the DOE’s budget effectively to close educational gaps.

3. Advocating for the state to amend the Foundation Aid formula to account for historical inequities, refining the cost of living, updating poverty measures, and supporting higher needs students.  

4. Stabilize funds for community-based and home-based centers so they can cover operational costs and capital needs, and support home-based centers with the exorbitant rent costs.  

5. Fund fair expansion of contracts and services to ensure it includes cost of living adjustments. 

6. Pay parity for child care providers, as well as funding to recruit and retain staff, so centers can be in compliance with the increased slots.