Student Tribune
Gov. Hochul Announces Initiative to Expand and Create High-Quality Child Care Centers Across SUNY
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of an initiative to expand and
create high-quality child care centers across all State University of New York
campuses for students and faculty - particularly in areas where child care
deserts exist. The initiative includes the distribution of $4.5 million in
federal and state funding to support current centers, a program to train the
next generation of child care professionals, and the development of a long-term
plan to achieve the Governor's State of the State goal to eliminate child care
deserts across SUNY. The Governor's Executive Budget includes $10.8 million to
support the creation of additional child care centers on SUNY campuses.
"Child care services are a critical part of our economic recovery,
providing parents much-needed support as they pursue an education or join the
workforce," Governor Hochul said. "This
funding is an important step toward my administration's goal of eliminating
child care deserts across SUNY campuses statewide and adequately investing in
our state's students, faculty, and working parents."
During the 2020-2021 academic year, SUNY served 1,200 student parents with
more than 4,000 child care spots across the 46 SUNY campuses that have a child
care center onsite. The centers also serve faculty, staff, and state employees,
as well as the neighboring community - each utilizing about a third of total
child care spots. 18 more centers are currently needed to fully cover all 64 of
SUNY's campuses statewide.
State University of New York Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley
said, "More limited child care presents a major barrier for our
student parents and older siblings who must choose child care over classes, and
even for our faculty parents. With additional federal, state, and SUNY support,
we can expand our resources on campus with high-quality care, and at the same
time work to train more early child care professionals for SUNY and other
centers across our state. This is just the first of multiple initiatives across
SUNY. We applaud Governor Kathy Hochul for recognizing the need to expand child
care services further in her State of the State address, and we look forward to
working together to keep all doors of opportunity open for working
parents."
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said, "Declining
enrollment is a problem at SUNY and throughout the nation. Providing child care
will enable men and women to return to SUNY, take additional classes and join
the workforce. The economic and social benefits are obvious. I thank Governor
Hochul for this progressive addition to the wonderful SUNY system."
Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick said, "New Yorkers
should never be forced to decide between caring for their child or furthering
their education. I thank Governor Hochul for prioritizing the expansion of
child care services, which will help SUNY students, faculty, and staff get back
into the classroom. The added benefit to this expansion is that children of
parents who attend college are more likely to pursue higher education
themselves, further lifting communities up."
SUNY distributed nearly $4.5 million in funding, including:
- $3.9 million in federal grants for all SUNY child care centers as
part of the Child Care Stabilization Funds by the Office of Children and Family
Services (OCFS). These funds, made available through the federal American
Rescue Plan Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental
Appropriations (CRRSA) Act, help with operational costs such as personnel and
training as well as support for the mental health needs of employees and their
children.
- $500,000 to 16 campuses as part of SUNY's Early Childhood Worker
paid internship program. 139 paid interns who are earning their degree in early
childhood studies will be hired to work an average of 20 hours a week. The new
scholarship program fills the demand for additional child care support while
providing each student with valuable real-life early childhood job experience
to complement academic coursework.
- $80,000 to 11 campuses to achieve or maintain accreditation from
nationally recognized quality organizations. Funding will go toward replacing
worn classroom equipment, supplying class materials, ensuring ADA access, and
paying for consulting and accreditation fees.
SUNY campuses receiving a portion of the $4.5 million
funding include:
- University at Albany
- Binghamton University
- SUNY Brockport
- SUNY Broome
- University at Buffalo (two sites)
- Buffalo State College
- Cayuga Community College
- SUNY Cobleskill
- Columbia Greene Community College
- SUNY Cortland
- SUNY Delhi
- Downstate Health Sciences University
- Dutchess Community College
- Erie Community College (three sites)
- Farmingdale State College
- Finger Lakes Community College
- SUNY Fredonia
- Fulton Montgomery Community College
- Genesee Community College
- Hudson Valley Community College
- Jefferson Community College
- Monroe Community College
- SUNY Morrisville
- Nassau Community College
- SUNY New Paltz
- Niagara Community College
- SUNY Oneonta
- Onondaga Community College
- SUNY Orange (two sites)
- SUNY Oswego
- SUNY Plattsburgh
- SUNY Potsdam
- SUNY Purchase
- Rockland Community College
- SUNY Schenectady
- Stony Brook University
- Suffolk Community College (two sites)
- Tompkins Cortland Community College
- SUNY Ulster
- Upstate Medical University
- Westchester Community College
Yule, Rosanna
Community Relations
03/14/2022