Croton-on-Hudson, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham and Assemblymember Dana Levenberg, along with concerned parents and local educators, held a press conference today to call for increased Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) capacity and funding for school districts outside of New York City in 2027. According to the latest data, only about 56% of four-year-olds were enrolled in UPK last year due to a shortage of slots at local programs.

 The press conference took place at Childrenspace North, an early childhood program located and housed at Temple Israel of Northern Westchester here in Croton, where the Croton-Harmon School District currently hosts almost the entirety of its Pre-K program—56 students. A few other students attend a Pre-K program at A Rising Star Children’s Center in Croton.

 To see a video of today’s press conference, click here.

 Governor Hochul’s proposed Executive FY 2026-2027 State Budget includes a plan to invest $4.5 billion in Pre-Kindergarten and childcare, which makes all students ages 3 and 4 in New York City eligible for UPK, plus a $10,000 investment into universal childcare per student statewide in 2028. Many school districts outside of New York City, including Croton’s, will have to wait to receive their full funding for UPK.

 “We appreciate the Governor’s increase of funding for Universal Pre-Kindergarten from $5,400 to $10,000 per student, but for families here in Croton and in other communities around New York it simply perpetuates an inequity and unfairness that has been going on for too long,” said Harckham. “We should not be bifurcating essential education by geography or admitting students into Pre-K programs by lottery. The extra investment to fully fund Pre-K statewide next year is a commitment we need to make so we can finally put an end to this harmful burden to families statewide.”

 “The Governor’s proposal is telling providers and parents outside of New York City to just wait, just hang on a little longer,” said Levenberg. “But 2028 is too late, especially if we are relying on tax windfalls and there is no plan to create a stable, recurring source of revenue for childcare.”

 Levenberg added, “Communities in my district are struggling right now to provide pre-K due to inadequate reimbursement rates and other issues that stem from insufficient resources. Working people are leaving communities all over New York State right now because of the inability to find affordable childcare. If we are serious about making it easier for people to stay and raise children in New York, we need to identify and dedicate enough funding to guarantee pre-K, 3-K and childcare statewide.”

Last year, New York State provided 118,000 four-year-olds and 5,800 three-year-olds with state administered Pre-K programs; coverage for four-year-olds was only 56% statewide though. In Croton, 84 students applied for entry to the pre-K program last year, according to Croton-Harmon School District Superintendent Stephen Walker.

 The two legislators acknowledged that in Westchester County and elsewhere around New York factors like building and staffing costs, inflation, classroom shortages and even increased food costs have driven up expenses. Even the promised $10,000 funding per pupil in some areas would not entirely cover costs, causing school districts to deal with funding gaps.

 The funding crunch for pre-K programs around the state comes at a time when federal funding initiated during the pandemic has been used up, resulting in stagnant pay and poor retention of teachers and staff members.

 Meanwhile, it is well-known that Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs offer tremendous benefits to students, communities and the overall economy. UPK boosts student school readiness with high-quality learning, helps with socio-economic development and leads to long-term academic rewards. Economically, UPK gives parents added participation in the workforce, helping families pay bills and even save money. It reduces childcare costs. UPK students also have better health outcomes.

 That’s why it is fair and makes sense to provide UPK statewide in the FY2026-2027 State Budget so families can take advantage of the program next year rather than wait till 2028, said Harckham and Levenberg.

 Croton-Harmon School District Superintendent Stephen Walker said, “As a team, the District and Board of Education believe in the educational and developmental value of UPK and are committed to the success of UPK in our community. We have been participating in the State’s UPK program since the 2021-2022 school year and were one of the first school districts in our region to do so.

“Like many in our community for whom the State’s UPK program is a priority,” continued Walker, “we were very pleased and encouraged to see that our District’s State Aid runs based on the Governor’s Budget proposal reflect a UPK allocation of $10,000/student for the 2026-27 school year. As State budget negotiations continue, we are hopeful that our District will receive what many have been advocating for: funding that will allow for community-based organizations to operate viable, sustainable programs for our community’s young people and families.”

 Staci Hall, Co-Director of Childrenspace North, said, “Earlier this year, we made the difficult decision to let the Croton community and school district know that we would no longer be able to operate the Universal Pre-Kindergarten program due to the significant gap between state funding and the actual cost of operating a high-quality early childhood program. We were relieved to find out that Governor Hochul committed to increasing the reimbursement rate to the much-needed amount of $10,000 per pupil.We are hoping that the State Legislature approves this in their final budget so we can continue to operate this program for the 2026-2027 school year.”

 Rachel McGregor, a Croton parent, said, “We are deeply grateful to our state leaders for advocating to keep the $10,000 per child UPK funding in this year’s state budget, a vital investment that allows high-quality providers like Childrenspace North to remain open and accessible to all families in our village. This commitment is championed by a broad coalition of more than 700 residents who have signed a local petition – including community members of all ages and backgrounds – uniting to ensure our children receive the foundational education they deserve for the greater good of Croton." 

 Rebecca Turnbull, a Croton parent and owner of Little Star Bakery in Croton, said, “When my oldest son was in UPK, I was finally able to open my brick‑and‑mortar bakery. Before that, I fit baking into early mornings, nap times and late nights. We opted for mornings only nursery school because that made the most sense for our income at the time, even though it handicapped my ability to grow my career. Universal Pre-Kindergarten gave my family breathing room and a chance to build something I’m proud of. No parent should have to choose between caring for their child and pursuing their livelihood.”