New York State Birth Through Five (NYSB5) Preschool Development Grant Needs Assessment Update Report (2021)

Authors

Center for Human Services Research, University at Albany

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

12-2021

Abstract

In 2019, the New York State Council on Children and Families (CCF) in partnership with the Center for Human Services Research (CHSR) at the University at Albany, State University of New York conducted a comprehensive needs assessment of the state’s early childhood care and education system (ECCE). As noted in the 2019 New York State Birth Through Five (NYSB5) Preschool Development Grant Needs Assessment Report, the state’s expanded investment in ECCE infrastructure reflects a strong commitment to supporting young children and families. See https://www.ccf. ny.gov/files/4915/7773/1159/nysb5_na_report.pdf.

In March 2020, the lives of New Yorkers were upended by the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, and the subsequent safety actions taken by New York State (NYS); specifically, orders closing schools statewide and the NYS on PAUSE Executive Order. With continued funding from the federal Preschool Development Birth Though Five (NYSB5) Grant, a second Needs Assessment (hereafter referred to as the 2020 Needs Assessment Update) was conducted to examine the impact of the first year of the pandemic from March 2020 through March 2021. Findings heavily focused on the impacts on program administration, funding, operations, and staff, and provided program- and state-level recommendations.

The goal of this 2021 Needs Assessment Update is to report findings on the longer-term impacts of the pandemic on NYS families based on the collection of additional primary data from focus groups with parents and caregivers. It provides additional insight on how the disruptions in the ECCE system affected parents, caregivers, and their children aged birth through five, and how families continued to struggle to recover from the repercussions of the pandemic. It also underscores the incredible resilience of families in adjusting to an ever-changing landscape of ECCE programs and services.

Recommended Citation

Center for Human Services Research, University at Albany, "New York State Birth Through Five (NYSB5) Preschool Development Grant Needs Assessment Update Report (2021)" (2021). Education & Early Childhood Development Reports and Research Briefs. 6.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/chsr-eecd-reports-and-briefs/6