New York City policymakers seem to have at least one priority straight this budget season: the importance of funding early childhood education. In a last minute budget deal, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council reached an agreement that will increase funding for the city's child care and out-of-school-time programs by $75 million in FY2013. This burst of funding is particularly important because these programs serve low-income children and communities who might not otherwise have access to these vital opportunities. 

At risk during the budget negotiations were more than 14,000 child care slots for children in low-income working families and 26,000 slots in city-sponsored after-school programs serving low-income neighborhoods. The $75 million increase in funding will not only save those slots but also allow the programs to grow.

Much of the credit for supporting and advocating on behalf of these programs goes to the Campaign for Children NYC, a collaborative effort by the city's early childhood and out-of-school-time advocates and a grantee of the Child Care and Early Education Fund. Given how important early childhood education is to providing every student with an opportunity to learn, it's no surprise to see how many of our OTL allies are listed among the campaign's parters. 

Click here to learn more about the Campaign for Children NYC.

And click here to read more about the budget deal from the Wall Street Journal.