PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Gregory Brender, Chief Policy and Innovation Officer of Day Care Council of New York
2:44:26
ยท
3 min
Gregory Brender from the Day Care Council of New York testifies about the destabilization of early childhood education programs, criticizing the lack of communication and fair processes from the city. He expresses concerns about proposed budget cuts and closures of centers, emphasizing the need for better enrollment procedures and respect for nonprofit organizations and small business providers in the sector.
- Highlights the negative impact of destabilization on the workforce and children
- Criticizes the FY 2026 budget proposal, including cuts to Three-K for All and elimination of programs like Promise NYC and School Day Plus
- Calls for improved enrollment procedures and better communication from the city to support early childhood education providers and families
Gregory Brender
2:44:26
Thank you so much chair Joseph for convening this hearing and for always being such an advocate for early childhood education and for New York City's children.
2:44:35
I guess I want to start with something you said.
2:44:37
You said that we have already destabilized a lot and providers throughout the system I'm sorry to introduce myself.
2:44:43
I'm Gregory Brender from the Day Care Council of New York.
2:44:45
We're the membership organization of early childhood programs.
2:44:49
Providers are feeling this destabilization.
2:44:54
The workforce who work so hard and are so underappreciated for the talent and hard work that they provide every day to ensure that children have the care they need and the education they need are feeling this destabilization and the issues that arise from the lack of communication and the lack of fair processes.
2:45:13
I want to echo the concerns from you and your colleagues and from CSA about communications.
2:45:18
This process has been emblematic of systems in city contracting that don't take into account the humanity of the workforce and the humanity of the people being served by these programs.
2:45:30
And the city must develop better processes to treat the nonprofit organizations and small business providers in the early childhood education sector with respect to humanity.
2:45:42
And we see this not just in the cuts that are happening to these the proposed closures of these five centers but in the budget that we're looking at for f y 2026.
2:45:53
The FY 2026 budget that mayor Adams has proposed and proposed in front of a sign that said making city New York City the best place to raise a family is a perilous budget for early childhood education.
2:46:07
There are cuts to massive cuts of a 12,000,000 to three k for all but there's not the data to justify the low enrollment that the city claims.
2:46:20
And there is not a process for even knowing what communities are going to be affected.
2:46:26
We need to see these restorations happen not just at the end of the budget process when programs will have to rush to reopen but the mayor needs to take action in his executive budget.
2:46:37
We're also seeing the elimination of many core programs that the city council fought for including Promise NYC and School Day Plus.
2:46:48
And we know that the city really must work since they are citing an under enrollment to close long standing community based organizations in high needs communities.
2:46:56
They need to improve their enrollment procedures.
2:46:59
In our written testimony we have some longer recommendations on how to improve enrollment procedures but I just want to emphasize that the city controls enrollments when providers are blamed for under enrollment, when providers are threatened with closure for under enrollment.
2:47:15
It's not always a process that they can control.
2:47:17
Families may be coming to them and saying, we want we have families, we want to be in your center.
2:47:23
And they are not getting through the system in the right way to be in the centers that they know meet the needs of their families.
2:47:30
So thank you so much for for hosting this hearing and for the urgent work we have ahead of us as a city to ensure that not only can we provide early childhood education but that we can support the organizations and the workforce who make early childhood education possible.