New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced earlier this month the expansion of childcare services at 11 SUNY community colleges to include evenings and weekends to better align with the schedules of student parents enrolled in high-demand programs, including SUNY Reconnect courses, or to create additional spots for infants and toddlers. The announcement quickly follows the successful extension of programs at Dutchess Community College and Monroe Community College, which generated a strong immediate reaction from campuses across the state.

“We are investing in the futures of our adult learners and student parents to ensure they can pursue and achieve their dreams,” Hochul said. “Through the expansion of childcare across SUNY’s community college campuses, the SUNY Reconnect program and dedicated support initiatives, we are reinforcing our commitment to meeting the needs of adult learners and offering them a path to upward mobility.”

The expansion of childcare hours at the community colleges or their community partners will support adult learners enrolled in Hochul’s SUNY Reconnect initiative, which provides free tuition, fees, books and supplies for adults ages 25-55 who don’t already have a college degree and want to pursue an associate degree in a high-demand field. The program also builds on Hochul’s State of the State priority to continue to deliver accessible, reliable childcare options to families across New York State.

Five SUNY community college campuses will be expanding their childcare services, some in partnership with local community childcare providers, to include nights and weekends, including:

• SUNY Broome Community College will be creating additional care hours during the evening.
• Dutchess Community College will add two additional weeknights of evening hours, as well as expand slots for infants and toddlers.
• Finger Lakes Community College will extend its evening hours up to 9 p.m. two days a week.
• Monroe Community College will add 16 additional hours during evenings, and the campus will create additional slots for infants and toddlers.
• Onondaga Community College plans to partner with the YMCA to provide evening childcare spots for adult learners enrolled through SUNY Reconnect.

Six SUNY community college campuses are creating additional spots for infants and toddlers, including Rockland Community College, Tompkins Cortland Community College and SUNY Westchester Community College

The program to extend childcare services to 11 SUNY community colleges builds on the governor’s efforts to increase access to high-quality childcare, especially for SUNY adult learners. Recently, SUNY announced the expansion of childcare services at Dutchess Community College and Monroe Community College, with both colleges extending their childcare services to include evenings to align with the schedules of high-demand programs.

In 2022, Hochul announced $10.8 million in funding to address childcare deserts across SUNY campuses, fund improvements, and expand capacity. As part of the $10.8 million investment, SUNY announced in 2024 the opening of a childcare center at Jamestown Community College, which offered nearly 50 spots during the school year and 100 throughout the summer months for students’ children. In 2023, Hochul also announced the availability of 200 spots at 12 high-demand SUNY campus child care centers, made possible through $1.72 million in funding for improvements to childcare at SUNY.

The announcement comes as Hochul lays out an investment in affordable, universal childcare for children under five years of age across New York State, which also includes:

• Achieving truly universal Pre-K
• Continuing access to low-cost, affordable childcare assistance programs
• Launch of new innovative pilot programs with counties statewide
• An Office of Childcare and Early Education

“Student parents should be able to focus on their studies without having to worry about finding safe and affordable childcare,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said. “The expansion of the childcare programs across SUNY’s community colleges will work to remove barriers, so all of our students can receive the support they need to pursue the education of their dreams.”

Read the full press release here.