PRIORITIES

Childcare & Education

As the mother of an infant, I know that childcare can often be the biggest monthly bill for many families here in District 39 and NYC. My spouse is an elementary school teacher and I’ve worked as a college professor. We believe that investing in children is the most powerful way to make the world a better place. As your Council Member, I will fight to make childcare and early-childhood education more affordable and invest more in our public education system.

AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE

  • Fight for universal free childcare and city investment in infant care centers

  • Ensure fast payments from the city to non-profit organizations that provide subsidized childcare to New Yorkers

  • Support the creation of an Office of Child Care to work towards and plan for the implementation of citywide free childcare and consolidate the childcare permitting process

  • Advocate for further study and implementation of extended school hours to 4:30pm or 5:00pm to provide more free or affordable childcare options for working parents

  • Work to increase the value of the Childcare Center Abatement to further incentivize property owners to open childcare facilities in their buildings, especially in areas that are childcare deserts

  • Create a fast track system for approval of childcare center permits

EARLY-CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

  • Ensure proper oversight of universal Pre-K to ensure it is being implemented in an efficient and equitable manner

  • Fight to make universal 3-K programs more accessible, especially in traditionally underserved communities

  • Increase the resources available to parents to navigate what is too often a complicated and opaque application and enrollment process for Pre-K, 3-K, and 2-K programs

  • Implement a universal 2-K system at a citywide level

EDUCATION EQUITY

  • Increase oversight of the implementation of class size reductions by the DOE here in School District 15 and citywide to ensure it is being implemented efficiently and in an equitable manner

  • Fight for increased access to learning technologies like reliable internet, laptops, and more—especially in the underserved communities where access is too often limited

  • Support the efficient implementation and evaluation of the D15 Diversity Plan and continued recruitment of culturally responsive and talented teachers

  • Increase the amount of money the city invests in ELL and special education programs

  • Protect students from Trump’s immigration policies

SUPPORT TEACHERS & CHILDCARE WORKERS

  • Advocate for the DOE to adopt processes that prevent teachers and administrative staff from being put in the position of liaising with ICE agents and protecting students from being detained at school

  • Support efforts to pay childcare workers in city-run or subsidized daycares and pre-schools equitable wages with benefits

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