2027 Policy Agenda

EdTrust-New York works to advance an equitable education system in which every child has the opportunity and support to succeed from early childhood through college and career. Our 2027 policy agenda focuses on four milestones that can help New York improve outcomes for students particularly for students of color—especially Black, Latinx, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander students—and students from low-income backgrounds.
Across these priorities, we emphasize equitable access, high-quality instruction, transparent data, and targeted resources so that policy decisions translate into stronger opportunities and outcomes
for students.
Milestone 1

Every child is ready for kindergarten success.

Equity Principle
Families across New York should be able to access affordable, high-quality early childhood education supported by a stable and well-prepared child care workforce.

Policy Actions

Continue progress toward universal child care by expanding access, reducing waitlists and enrollment barriers, and investing in facilities and provider capacity.
Strengthen the child care workforce through improved compensation, career pathways, recruitment, and retention supports.
Expand and align New York City early childhood programs, including 2Care and 3-K, with local demand and a focus on equitable access and quality.
Sustain and expand SUNY, CUNY, and other workforce-development programs that prepare and support early childhood educators.
Milestone 2

Every student enters high school with strong literacy foundations and the skills needed to participate in advanced math coursework.

Equity Principle
Every student should receive high-quality, evidence-based instruction and materials, supported by educators who are well prepared to meet students’ academic and linguistic needs.

Policy Actions

dvance a comprehensive statewide literacy policy that aligns curriculum,professional learning, and universal screening with the science of reading.
Engage families and community partners to help develop an aligned literacy ecosystem modeled after NYC Reads Together.
Improve access to rigorous grade level math, ensuring all districts are using high quality instructional materials, while providing targeted interventions to students who need support to access grade-level work.
Build on the Back to Basics Math investment by funding instructional math coaches in high needs districts, and monitoring statewide math initiatives to promote strong implementation, transparency, and alignment with evidence-based research and resources.
Expand high-quality instructional materials, professional learning, and bilingual assessments for multilingual learners.
Build a more diverse and sustainable educator workforce by investing in Grow Your Own programs that target shortage subject areas and high need districts, while investing in retention strategies to keep more educators of color in the workforce.
Milestone 3

Resources, accountability, and data are aligned to student need from child care to career.

Equity Principle
New York should direct funding and support to the students, schools, and communities with the
greatest needs and use transparent data to understand whether those investments are improving outcomes.

Policy Actions

Codify and strengthen a Statewide Longitudinal Data System with clear governance, implementation timelines, and meaningful stakeholder engagement.
Strengthen school-improvement expectations under ESSA so identified schools use evidence-based strategies to improve reading and math outcomes.
Develop an equity-focused approach to artificial intelligence in education that centers the experiences and concerns of students, families, and educators.
Improve Foundation Aid by better accounting for student poverty and concentrated poverty and by increasing transparency around how state resources are spent by districts.
Milestone 4

Every high school graduate can access and complete college or postsecondary training.

Equity Principle
Every student should have the information, advising, financial support, and high-quality pathways
needed to transition from high school into college, training, and career opportunities.

Policy Actions

Advance equitable access to high-quality College in High School opportunities so that more students can access college level courses and credits while in high school.
Delay implementation of NY Inspires, including changes to graduation measures until there is sufficient time, guidance, rigor, capacity, and safeguards for districts to implement new graduation requirements.
Support successful implementation of Universal FAFSA through stronger outreach, data collection, community partnerships, and adequate school counseling capacity.
Expand emergency aid so unexpected financial challenges do not derail students’ ability to earn a college degree.
Monitor implementation of Workforce Pell to ensure new short-term credential opportunities include strong quality and student-protection guardrails.