Category: Uncategorized

A ruling from U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher marks a final defeat in the Trump administration’s attempt to require school districts throughout the nation to censor lessons, student support programs, and to certify their compliance with the administration’s unlawful interpretation of civil rights. In her ruling Gallagher stated that federal guidance stifled teachers’ free speech, “causing millions of educators to reasonably fear that their lawful, and even beneficial, speech might cause them or their schools to be punished.”   This is a significant victory for free speech and the rights of educators and administrators across the country. The lawsuit was led by The American Federation of Teachers and Democracy Forward. ACS is proud to be long time partners with educator labor unions and school district administrators in their fight to preserve and defend traditional public education and to exercise their First Amendment right to free speech.

New York State is making national headlines with a sweeping proposal to expand access to child care and early learning—but the real story is what made this moment possible. While the scale of the investment is historic, the groundwork behind it reflects years of local coordination, coalition building, and data-driven strategy.

Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently announced a series of major investments aimed at building a universal child care system, including $1.2 billion to expand child care subsidies statewide, $500 million for universal Pre-K for all four-year-olds, $500 million to expand New York City’s 2-Care program, and $60 million to pilot universal child care for infants and toddlers in Broome, Dutchess, and Monroe Counties.

At Advocacy & Communication Solutions, we see New York’s progress as both a milestone and a signal. We’ve contributed to similar long-term strategy building through our multi-year partnership with Franklin County, Ohio where leaders are developing a comprehensive early learning strategy grounded in the belief that quality, affordable early learning is a birthright.

Under the New York proposal, each pilot county will receive $20 million in state funding, paired with a 10% local match, to support up to 1,000 new seats for children ages 0–3, with the first phase launching in 2027. As outlined in the Governor’s Executive Budget Report, these investments build directly on existing, county-led efforts to support children, families, and the early childhood workforce.

In Dutchess County, years of coordination through a countywide Early Learning Coalition have aligned local systems around access, quality, and kindergarten readiness. In June 2024, partners formalized this work through a countywide Accord focused on universal care, program quality, and a thriving wage for the early childhood workforce, positioning the county to unlock state investment.

In Monroe County, leaders paired increased child care funding with aggressive eligibility awareness and a broader anti-poverty strategy through Project Prospect.

In Rochester, community-led outreach efforts—using multilingual campaigns, trusted messengers, and parent leadership—filled more than 2,000 previously vacant high-quality Pre-K seats, reaching 98% enrollment.

Broome County has focused on expanding supply, including the opening of the largest child care center in the county this fall, increasing access for hundreds of local families.

Even with these advances, challenges remain. Universal child care in New York is estimated to cost approximately $15 billion, with ongoing gaps related to local matching funds, braiding public and private dollars for sustainability, and expanding and stabilizing the early childhood workforce. Addressing these challenges will require continued advocacy across levels of government and sustained investment in local infrastructure.

New York’s approach reflects a layered, place-based strategy that connects neighborhood leadership, municipal alignment, county systems integration, and state and federal resources. This slow, often invisible work is what makes bold policy moments possible.

As more counties across the country begin to pursue long-term, locally driven early learning strategies, New York offers a powerful example of what’s possible. We’ll continue to monitor New York’s progress and the growing momentum at the county level nationwide as communities work to turn bold vision into lasting systems change.

A new federal program known as “Trump Accounts” has been signed into law, adding another savings option alongside existing 529 college savings plans. This Aspen Institute article examines how Trump Accounts will work alongside highlighting potential implications. While the program has clarified that account balances will not affect eligibility for safety‑net benefits like SNAP, a positive development for families, participation is not automatic. Families must actively open accounts through a tax form, with online enrollment expected in 2026. As highlighted in a PBS article, this requirement—along with the mandate that every child have a Social Security number—raises concerns that many eligible households may be excluded or fail to enroll.

Withdrawal penalties further limit how useful the accounts may be for some families. While the initial contribution of $1,000 (or $250 in certain cases) offers a meaningful starting boost, parents may still prefer 529 plans due to their greater flexibility, or high-yield savings accounts that impose fewer restrictions. In practice, penalties may not deter families from accessing the funds when unexpected expenses arise, potentially reducing the program’s intended long‑term savings benefit, or overall program uptake.

This fall, Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) hosted Junior Days, the first event implemented as a result of ACS’ six-month collaborative design facilitation focused on expanding career-connected learning opportunities for Greater Cleveland youth.

Nearly 70 students from three school districts explored five career pathways through hands-on experiences and left with a clearer understanding of academies, short-term and stackable credentials, and earning potential, many for the first time.

Tri-C is the Greater Cleveland Career Consortium’s first higher education partner in this work, helping to advance a more coordinated, systems-level approach to career-connected learning. We’re proud to have partnered with Tri-C in creating this idea and excited to see how this collaboration continues to grow and translate into impact for greater Cleveland youth.

Democracy Fund recently launched All by April, a coordinated national effort urging philanthropy to accelerate and streamline election-related grant-making ahead of the 2026 election cycle. The campaign calls on foundations, donor networks, and individual philanthropists to commit and distribute nonpartisan 501(c)(3) election funding no later than April 2026.

The goal is simple but significant: ensure that the nonpartisan organizations working to protect access to voting, strengthen election administration, and support civic participation have resources in place BEFORE election pressures peak. Early funding allows grantee partners to plan effectively, hire staff, build capacity, and respond quickly to emerging needs—all of which become more difficult as the election season intensifies.

For ACS clients, particularly those supporting civic engagement, public policy, and movement infrastructure through philanthropic support, this model reflects an evolving expectation: philanthropy must not only fund the work but also support the conditions that allow it to succeed. That includes predictable timelines, fewer administrative barriers, and trust in the expertise of community-based organizations.

As the 2026 elections approach, All by April is a reminder that timing matters. When resources arrive early, organizations are better positioned to build meaningful, equitable, and lasting impact. Learn more about the initiative, its impact in the 2024 election, and how nonprofits say funders can go further here.