New York State needs to guarantee pre-K and 3-K accessJane Fox |
Like many New Yorkers, my family and I have had to uproot our lives to make ends meet. While my husband and I wanted to live in New York City forever, we knew that was no longer feasible once we had our twins nine years ago. Even though we had good jobs and a rent stabilized apartment, we could not afford to spend the bulk of our paychecks on child care for even one kid — let alone two. So, we moved to a town in the Hudson Valley because they had universal pre-K and we’d still commute in the city for work.
Our story is not unique, and we were lucky that we were even able to stay in New York. Families with kids under 6 today are 40% more likely to leave the state because of the extraordinary cost of care. The affordability crisis is unacceptable in a state as rich as New York. Continuing the status quo, where year after year elected officials prioritize the billionaire class while telling us child care must wait is hurting our communities. If we truly want to make New York a place where working and middle class families can thrive, Gov. Kathy Hochul must implement universal, public child care. That starts with guaranteeing access to 3-K and pre-K across the state.
It feels more likely to win the lottery than find a 3-K or pre-K seat for your kid in New York. Despite commitments from the State Legislature nearly 30 years ago, New York has failed to provide universal preschool across the state.