Governor Hochul today highlighted the State's plan to partner with Monroe County, Dutchess County and Broome County in a new state pilot program to support counties in implementing additional child care options in their communities. This is all part of the Governor's $4.5 billion investment to deliver statewide universal child care and make New York State the best and most affordable place to raise a family. This pilot program includes an investment of $60 million in State funding, along with new investments from each of the three counties, as they expand child care access with a particular focus on serving children 0-3. The Governor also joined a ribbon cutting for The Irene Skalny Childcare Center, a new YMCA child care center in Penfield that opened in October with the help of over $1.5 million in state funding.

"My mission to deliver universal child care for all is a multi-year plan for the entire State, making living in New York more affordable and the best place to raise a family," Governor Hochul said. "This new pilot program with Monroe County, and multiple other counties outside of the city, will open new seats and support families statewide regardless of their income status."

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said, "Access to high-quality, affordable child care is a foundation of a strong, safe, and healthy future for our children, families, and our entire community. At a time when child care funding is increasingly uncertain and providers are harder to find, Governor Hochul has listened to the needs of our county and continues to deliver for Monroe County and all of New York State. We are deeply grateful for her leadership and her continued investment in the heartbeat of our community-our families."

The Irene Skalny Childcare Center

Located in Penfield, the Irene Skalny Childcare Center cares for children between the ages of 6 weeks and 5 years. The center has several classrooms for different age groups as well as access to an outdoor playground. This new center is located at the Eastside Family YMCA and children who attend this center are able to have a unique experience with plenty of intergenerational fun between the residents and their kids.

The Irene Skalny Center serves an area of the county where child care expansion is a critical need. This center creates child care opportunities for families in this area and directly contributes to the overall economic vitality of the community, allowing parents and caregivers to enter, remain in, and advance in their community.

Governor Hochul is making unprecedented investments to helpdeliver universal child care for all under the age of five across New York State that will save New York families billions of dollars each year. This partnership with Monroe County, Dutchess County and Broome County is one of many investments to support counties in implementing additional child care options in their communities. Governor Hochul's statewide universal child care commitment also includes:

Achieving Truly Universal Pre-K

While four-year-olds in some parts of New York have long had access to Pre-K, there are dozens of school districts that have not yet been able to make it available. Governor Hochul is providing additional support to ensure truly universal Pre-K for all four-year-olds in the State by the start of the 2028-2029 school year.

The State will not only fund additional seats to achieve universality but will also increase funding for existing seats, bringing them up to the greater of $10,000 or the applicable school district's current selected foundation aid per pupil, so that districts have what they need to provide high-quality Pre-K. This combination reflects a commitment of roughly a half-billion dollars and will ensure that every child in New York State enters kindergarten ready to learn.

Continuing Access to Low-Cost, Affordable Child Care Assistance Programs

Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York has more than doubled investment in the state's Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which provides subsidies to help low-income families access child care. By dramatically increasing the State's investments in the program while expanding eligibility, the program now supports 2.5 times more children - an additional 100,000 - than when Governor Hochul took office; the number of children served has increased by almost 25 percent in the past year alone. Most of the families of the 170,000 children served by the program pay no more than $15 per week for child care.

This year, Governor Hochul will continue to grow the State's investment in child care subsidies for those that need it most with a $1.2 billion increased investment, bringing the total available for subsidies to over $3 billion. This is over 3.5 times more than the $832 million provided prior to the Governor taking office, and a nearly 40 percent increase from what was made available in the FY 2026 Enacted Budget.

My mission to deliver universal child care for all is a multi-year plan for the entire State, making living in New York more affordable and the best place to raise a family."

Launching 2-Care and Reaching Universal 3K Access in NYC

New York City has already launched universal Pre-K and 3K, and Governor Hochul will partner with New York City to age this program down and launch an unprecedented initiative to offer entirely free child care for two-year-olds within New York City.

The Governor is committing to fully fund the first two years of the city's implementation. As envisioned by the new mayoral administration, the first year of the program will focus on high-need areas selected by New York City and expand to serve all interested families across the city by year 4. In addition, the Governor will partner with New York City to strengthen and fix the city's 3K program and ensure it achieves its promise of universal access.

Office of Child Care and Early Education

A new Office of Child Care and Early Education will drive the implementation of high-quality, universal child care in New York State. The Office will oversee and support rollout of universal Pre-K, continued investment in 3K, launch of 2-Care and other innovative care options, expansion and improvement of vouchers, and ongoing support for the workforce.

Supporting the Workforce Through Early Childhood Educator Preparation

Governor Hochul's plan to strengthen New York's early childhood education workforce includes expanding existing workforce scholarships, seeking opportunities for new Workforce Pell grants, and directing SUNY and CUNY to take a number of steps to expand and streamline early childhood education programs.

Expanding the Child and Dependent Care Credit to Better Support Families

Governor Hochul will expand and simplify the child and dependent care tax credit to provide an additional average benefit of $575 for 230,000 tax filers. She will also undertake a thorough review of existing tax incentives for employers with the goal of helping them better serve the child care needs of their employees.

Today's announcement builds on steps that Governor Hochul has taken to expand access to affordable child care for families, laying the groundwork for the implementation of universal child care statewide. Specifically, the State has already:

• More than doubled the number of children served by child care vouchers in just four years, with an almost 25 percent increase in the past 12 months alone.
• Provided more than $8.6 billion for child care, including more than doubling funding for subsidies.
• Dramatically expanded the number of families who are eligible by increasing the maximum income from 200 percent of Federal poverty level (roughly $64,000 for a family of four) to the maximum allowed under Federal law - 85 percent of Statewide median income (roughly $114,000 for a family of four).
• Made child care more affordable by reducing the amount those receiving subsidies pay by capping costs at $15 per week for most families.
• Increased reimbursement rates for providers by nearly 50 percent, helping providers retain staff and provide quality care for children across the state.
• Supported the future creation of thousands of child care seats and new centers through more than $150M in capital funding.

Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative

Building on these investments in child care that support working families and strengthen the local workforce, Governor Hochul's Executive Budget also makes a historic $300 million commitment to drive economic growth and revitalization across the City of Rochester and Monroe County. This includes $225 million to advance the Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative, supporting transformative community and infrastructure projects, as well as $75 million in capital funding for renovations at High Falls State Park-ensuring the region continues to grow as a place where families can live, work, and thrive.

State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, "With a proposed $20 million investment into child care in Monroe County and $300 million for High Falls State Park and the surrounding areas, Governor Hochul is putting her money where her mouth is when it comes to delivering for our communities. These investments will make an immeasurable impact across Monroe County, lowering costs for working families, setting our children up for success, and paving the way for better housing, retail, and development opportunities in the heart of downtown. I applaud Governor Hochul for prioritizing the needs of our community and I look forward to our partnership to make this a reality."

Assemblymember Jen Lunsford said, "Making quality child care accessible and affordable has always been one of my top priorities, which was why securing this $400,000 investment in our Eastside YMCA Irene Skalny Childcare Center was such an easy decision. And now, being here today with Governor Hochul to discuss the historic child care investments in our upcoming budget, including a pilot program right here in Monroe County to help develop truly universal child care, I am proud to say we have achieved so much of that goal. From increasing access to subsidies, to opening up new slots in child care deserts, the #MomSquad, along with our first Mom Governor, has delivered for our families. But there is still so much to do. Today marks the culmination of many years of work, and the beginning of the next phase of our transformation into a state that truly supports working families."

Assemblymember Demond Meeks said, "This proposed budget makes critical commitments to supporting working families by expanding access to affordable, high quality child care across the state. From strengthening child care subsidies and easing costs for low income families to expanding early childhood education and investing in the workforce that makes it all possible, these proposed investments will have a real impact where it matters most. By helping parents stay in the workforce and ensuring children enter kindergarten ready to learn, we are building a stronger foundation for our families, our economy, and our future."

Assemblymember Harry Bronson said, "I thank Governor Hochul for taking transformative action to lower costs for working families in my district by selecting Monroe County for one of New York's first Universal Child Care Pilot programs. Access to reliable, high-quality child care is an investment in our future - helping young children build strong foundations and supporting a strong economy where parents and caregivers can go to work with peace of mind. This initiative is also an important step towards greater equity, ensuring every Monroe County family can access the care their children deserve. I'm grateful for the Governor's leadership and excited to partner with Monroe County and local providers on this innovative program that will bring affordability to families, support the child care workforce, and help our local economy thrive."

Assemblywoman Sarah Clark said, "We know investing in Rochester means more than just dollars. When we invest in our community it changes lives and improves outcomes for all residents. The $300 million of capital funding in the Governor's proposed budget is a huge win for Rochester and a reflection of steady and tireless advocacy by our local leaders and our Rochester state delegation. I am also very excited for Rochester and Monroe County to lead on a universal child care pilot. This is a huge opportunity to implement new and innovative ideas to ultimately better serve our families, children, and the child care workforce across our region. I am grateful to Governor Hochul for this historic investment and look forward to our continued work on budget negotiations over the next few months with the Governor and my delegation partners."

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said, "I want to thank Gov. Kathy Hochul for presenting a budget that once again underscores her commitment to Upstate and her recognition that investments in Rochester and Monroe County are investments in all of New York State. By transforming the physical landscape of Downtown Rochester, the Rochester-Monroe Transformation Initiative will transform the social, cultural, and economic landscape of the entire Finger Lakes region. The projects funded in this budget will create new opportunities for residents along the entire length of the economic spectrum."

YMCA of Greater Rochester President & CEO Ernie Lamour said, "We know how critical it is for the families we serve across the YMCA of Greater Rochester to have affordable, quality child care; and that's why we worked so hard to open a new center in Penfield in a designated child care desert. Since opening in the fall, nearly half of the additional spots this center created have been filled, with full capacity expected by the end of February. Being able to provide this critical care means parents and caregivers can remain in, advance or enter the workforce, directly contributing to the overall economic vitality of our communities."

Contact the Governor's Press Office