One day until the budget deadline — take 3 actions for child care today!

Hi Ashley,   Time is running out—we have just one day left until the budget deadline. We need to keep the pressure on state legislators to secure at least $500 million in funding for the Child Care Assistance Program (also known as CCAP, or child care vouchers), and $500 million for New York’s child care workforce,  a total of $1 billion over what the Governor proposed, in the enacted budget.   Without additional funding for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP, also known as child care vouchers) in this year’s state budget, thousands of families stand to lose access to child care assistance, and 60,000 children could lose care. To add to the damage, the loss of assistance for families means that child care providers will be left scrambling to fill seats vacated by long-time families forced to withdraw.   Tell state leaders: New York’s families are counting on them to include $1 billion over the executive budget proposal — with $500 million for CCAP and 500 for the workforce —  in the enacted budget. Use the toolkit below to take three actions now! Action 1 Email State Leaders & Your State Legislators Take a moment to email Governor Hochul, legislative leaders, and your state representatives. Tell them New York’s families are counting on them to include no less than $500 million each for the state’s Child Care Assistance Program and a workforce retention grant, a total of $1 billion over what the governor proposed, in the final budget. SEND AN EMAIL NOW Action 2 Call the Senate Majority Leader & Speaker Scroll down to view sample call scripts (you can click and hold the images to save them to your device). Then dial the numbers below to call  Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, then Speaker Carl Heastie. Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins 518-455-2585 Speaker Carl Heastie 518-455-3791 Action 3 Amplify on social media Call out Governor Hochul publicly on social media, and thank the Senate and Assembly for supporting New York's child care educators and families. Use the sample posts below. And remember to follow AQE @aqeny.bsky.social and the hashtag #FundChildCareNY on Bluesky to see what's happening in real time.   (A reminder that AQE is over at Bluesky now. If you haven't set up your own account yet, you can do that here.) Thank you @nysenate.bsky.social & @nyassemblymajority.bsky.social for including child care  in your budget proposals. We need $1b over the exec budget - with $500m for CCAP and $500m for the workforce. Let's make it happen in the final budget! #FundChildCareNY   With budget decisions looming, NY needs investments in child care vouchers & workforce. @governor.ny.gov, it's time to prioritize our working families & educators! Follow the lead of @nysenate.bsky.social & @nyassemblymajority.bsky.social and #FundChildCareNY   @governor.ny.gov, don't leave NY's working families & child care educators behind. Invest in our future, #FundChildCareNY! https://actionnetwork.org/letters/gov-hochul-legislators-must-act-now-so-nys-families-dont-lose-child-care-assistance AQENY.org | Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook DONATE

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Take Action for Public Education and Child Care Funding TODAY!

This afternoon, we're in Albany advocating for two critical issues that will shape the future of New York's children and families. If you couldn't join us at the state capitol today, don't worry - you can still make a huge impact from wherever you are! School Funding - Protect Foundation Aid and our Kids' Futures AQE along with the wider Coalition for Equitable Education Funding (CEEF) is pushing for updates to New York's equity-driving Foundation Aid formula to make sure that no district receives less funding than they expected in the upcoming school year. This is an important fight to make sure that every student has the resources they need to thrive. Virtual phone bank: 5-6PM TODAY, March 26 Join us in advocating for equitable funding in the final state budget this afternoon. Don't worry if you've never phone banked before - it's easy! We'll kick things off with a brief training to ensure you're comfortable and ready to get started. Let's make those phone lines ring! Phone Zap: TOMORROW, March 27 Tomorrow, we're teaming up with CEEF again to "zap" phone lines because Governor Hochul's proposed budget includes changes to the Foundation Aid formula that would result in NYC schools getting nearly $350 million less than they would without these changes. We need all hands on deck to make sure state legislators know to not shortchange NYC schools in this year's state budget. There are TWO times for tomorrow's phone zap: Sign up for the 12:00 - 12:30 PM slot, OR Sign up for the 7:00 - 7:30 PM slot Child Care Funding - Protect Working Families, Educators, and Providers Check out the action led by our legislators at the capitol earlier today. We joined them in raising our voices for child care right outside the Governor's office. The fight for funding doesn't end in Albany though - we need your support making sure that New York's working families don't lose access to child care assistance and providers and educators are able to keep their doors open. Send an Email: TODAY AND EVERYDAY until the budget is finalized Take a moment to email Governor Hochul, legislative leaders, and your state representatives. Tell them New York's families are counting on them to include no less than $500 million each for the state's Child Care Assistance Program and a workforce retention grant, a total of $1 billion over what the governor proposed, in the final budget. With budget negotiations in their final stages, every action you take will be heard by legislators shaping the future for our kids and all of us for years to come. In solidarity, Marina Marcou-O'Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Alliance for Quality Education, please click here.

NY's leaders must act NOW so families don't lose child care assistance

Thousands of families stand to lose access to child care assistance

Hi Ashley, Without additional funding for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP also known as child care vouchers) in this year's state budget, thousands of families stand to lose access to child care assistance, and 60,000 children could lose care. Send an email to Governor Hochul and leaders and your representatives in the State Legislature now! Tell them New York's families are counting on them to include AT LEAST $500 million for CCAP (though this won't cover the shortfall in its entirety) and $500 million for the workforce retention grant in the enacted budget. As early as April, we're hearing that 7,000 to 10,000 families could start to find themselves denied continued child care support every month — not to mention the thousands of new applicants who would be turned away. While the need is most pressing in New York City, this issue will impact every county in the state at some point over the next year, with four counties outside of NYC already having closed enrollment. Over the past few years New York has been successful in opening up child care assistance to more families, especially in low-income areas — but the state has failed to match that commitment to expanding coverage with the needed investment. Now, it risks leaving thousands of families who have come to depend on CCAP in need with no support at all. Without action by the Governor and State Legislature, families are going to be forced to make impossible choices: if they can't come up with an extra $1,500 or more per month to cover the cost of care, they will need to find alternative arrangements to continue working, or stop working altogether. To add to the damage, the loss of assistance for families means that child care providers will be left scrambling to fill seats vacated by long-time families forced to withdraw. Meanwhile, the Executive Budget allocates no funding for the child care workforce — the first time since the pandemic. The state's lack of workforce investment has already led to higher turnover rates, reduced capacity, and classroom disruptions. We need at least $500 million in additional funding for CCAP to prevent thousands of families — beginning in NYC — from being kicked off child care assistance, and $500 million to invest in the child care workforce. Without urgent action, New York's child care system will face severe consequences, leaving families without options and providers in financial distress. Send an email to Governor Hochul and leaders and your representatives in the State Legislature now and tell them the enacted budget must include at least $500 million for CCAP and $500 million for the workforce retention grant to address the immediate need. In solidarity, Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari and Marina Marcou-O'Malley Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Alliance for Quality Education, please click here.

Make 3 Calls to Demand Child Care Funding for all New Yorkers

Join ESCCC's Call Relay today - Monday, March 24. We need your help making three quick calls to New York State leadership, urging them to fund the child care workforce and the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). Even if the scheduled call times have passed, you can still call, leave a message, continue calling tomorrow, spread the word in your community, and call each day until the budget is finalized. Your calls can ring in a brighter future for child care in New York! All proposals are now on the table: the Senate has proposed $500 million for the Workforce Retention Grant to support child care educators, but neither the Assembly nor Governor have committed to this crucial funding yet. The Assembly has also proposed some new funding for CCAP to help more families access child care - but, it is not enough to address the current crisis that families are facing with the CCAP shortfall. And, without workforce support, we risk losing skilled educators and worsening the staffing crisis already affecting children, families, and communities across the state. Governor Hochul has voiced support for Universal Child Care, but to make it a reality, she, along with the Assembly and Senate, must include no less than $500 million for both CCAP to address at least some of the shortfall, and the Workforce Retention Grant in the state budget. Without it, families will lose access to care, and educators will continue to face low wages and poor working conditions. Pick up the phone today. Your calls and this letter to lawmakers are going to be crucial in holding our leaders accountable for child care in New York. In solidarity, Marina Marcou-O'Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Alliance for Quality Education, please click here.

Protect Our Schools - Reject Trump’s Attacks on the Department of Education

By now, you've likely heard about Trump's Executive Order to close the Department of Education. This is a direct attack on our children, our schools, and our communities, but Congress - not the president - determines which agencies remain open or are shut down. This administration's strategy is to exhaust us with repeated attacks on our values and institutions, and this is just another example. Email and call your members of Congress to reject this dangerous plan. The plan was laid out in Project 2025 long before the election; it was clear that this administration had plans to dismantle government agencies, including the Department of Education. Public schools across the country have been subjected to relentless bombardment designed to roll back progress made by parents, students, and educators in establishing anti-racist, inclusive, truth-based education. This latest Executive Order is just another step in their agenda - unsurprising, but no less dangerous. We refuse to remain silent while they attack our children and attempt to divide and destabilize our schools and communities. The Department of Education plays a central role, one we need now more than ever before, in enforcing civil rights protections, safeguarding students from discrimination, ensuring affordable higher education, and protecting the rights of families. It oversees policies and programs that shape our schools nationwide - including funding for K-12 schools, students with disabilities and IEPs, early education, children living in poverty, and addressing the needs of educators. The DOE helps ensure that vulnerable students - especially those in underfunded schools - receive the quality education and resources they need. Congress must reject Trump's executive order to close the Department of Education. Take action now, by emailing and calling your members of Congress today to protect our children and our schools. New York State has a significant role in safeguarding and supporting our communities. This is not the time for inaction. Make sure our leaders hear from us that they must stand strong in protecting our children and our schools. In solidarity, Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari + Marina Marcou-O'Malley Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Alliance for Quality Education, please click here.

Tell Your Leaders to Stand Up for Child Care in the Final Budget

Right now, our state leaders hold the future of child care in their hands. Without immediate funding, many children will lose access to affordable care, and educators – the vast majority of whom are women of color – will continue to struggle in poverty. Our state's leadership must act now to secure a sustainable future for child care in our state. We need you to call on your leaders to include no less than $500 million for the Child Care Workforce Retention Grant and $500 million for CCAP. They need to hear from you, their constituents. Investing in child care is not just the right choice, it's a smart one. For every dollar invested in child care, New York sees a return of $3 to $7, saving millions on future costs like special education and health care, while helping children graduate, and grow into happy, healthy, contributing members of our communities. We all benefit when child care is supported, so let's make that a reality for all New Yorkers. Phone bank with us next Wednesday, March 26, from 5-6pm EST! We need your help to push for fair wages and support for child care educators. While the Senate proposed $500 million to support this essential workforce, the Governor's budget includes $0 for child care. Join us as we call on the Assembly and Governor to do nothing less than match the Senate's proposal, ensuring fairer compensation and more affordable child care for all New Yorkers. In solidarity, Marina Marcou-O'Malley + Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education Sent via ActionNetwork.org. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Alliance for Quality Education, please click here.