ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB CBS6)— A statewide child care coalition is releasing a detailed roadmap for how New York could achieve universal child care — making it free and accessible for every family with children up to age 12.
The Empire State Campaign for Child Care (ESCCC) says the state is in a unique moment to overhaul a system strained by high costs, long waitlists, and workforce shortages.
Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani have both publicly committed to making universal child care a priority. ESCCC’s plan builds on the state’s Child Care Availability Task Force recommendations but goes further, outlining a concrete six-year rollout.
The proposal centers on four major steps:
1. Raise Wages for Child Care Workers
- The coalition says universal child care can’t happen without fixing the workforce crisis. They support legislation to immediately boost pay for early childhood educators so programs can recruit and retain staff.
2. Fully Fund the Child Care Assistance Program
- CCAP, the state’s main source of child care aid for low- and moderate-income families, has waitlists in 27 counties because demand exceeds funding. This roadmap includes plans calling for clearing waitlists, eliminating parent co-pays, shifting CCAP management to the state, and making applications simpler.
3. Create “Community Eligibility” Districts
- Modeled after universal free school meals, communities with high numbers of income-eligible children would qualify automatically. Families would only need to provide proof of address — no lengthy paperwork and no co-pays.
4. Cap Child Care Costs for Everyone Else
- Families who don’t qualify for CCAP or community eligibility would have their out-of-pocket child care costs capped at $100 a week per child, with the state covering the remaining cost.
