Committee on Education meeting
January 30, 2026, 10:00 AM
The Committee on Education held a hearing on Int 0203-2026, which would require the city to report on its payments to early childhood care and education providers.
What was discussed
- Call to order The Sergeant-at-Arms ran a microphone check and opened the January 30, 2026 hearing of the Committee on Education.
- Chair Eric Dinowitz opens the hearing and swears in the first witness Council Member Eric Dinowitz, the new Chair of the Education Committee, opened the hearing on Int 0203-2026—which would require the city to report on its payments to early childhood care and education providers—and swore in Deputy Chancellor Simone Hawkins.
- NYC Public Schools Deputy Chancellor Hawkins testifies on provider payments Simone Hawkins, Deputy Chancellor for the Early Childhood Education Division at New York City Public Schools, delivered the administration's testimony on Int 0203-2026 and the agency's invoicing and payment processes for early childhood providers.
- When will the new provider invoicing system launch, and who is testing it? Sponsor Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez asked about the new invoicing system and its timeline; Deputy Chancellor Hawkins said the agency is building the system with vendor Prutech, will run user acceptance testing with center-based and family child care providers, and is aiming for an ambitious
- How many staff are budgeted to process provider payments, and how many are needed? Chair Dinowitz pressed on staffing after hearing provider concerns; Deputy Chancellor Hawkins said that of roughly 30 operations-analyst positions she would want, only two are currently in budgeted vacancies—meaning about 28 more would need to be budgeted—describing a full complement as her 'dream
- Can the city reduce the multiple systems and duplicate paperwork providers face? Council Member Linda Lee, drawing on her experience as a former provider, asked about the several systems providers navigate (PASSPort, Accelerator, Pre-Kids) and duplicative document submissions; Deputy Chancellor Hawkins said she supports system integration where it makes sense but is cautious
- Have provider payment timelines improved, and does the agency help providers fix missing paperwork? Council Member Mercedes Narcisse asked whether payment timelines have improved and whether the agency supports providers through the paperwork; Deputy Chancellor Hawkins said data shows improvement to an average two-week processing time and that staff proactively reach out to providers about missing
- Is provider engagement culturally and linguistically responsive? Council Member Carmen N. De La Rosa asked about culturally responsive support for providers; Deputy Chancellor Hawkins said the agency values cultural responsiveness among its operations analysts, welcomed recommendations, and accepted an invitation to meet uptown providers.
- What is actually causing provider payment delays? Council Member Phil Wong, a former budget director, asked whether payment delays stem from the Comptroller's Office or elsewhere; Deputy Chancellor Hawkins said the Comptroller is a good partner not holding up payments, and that delays are multifaceted—for example a provider owing taxes—while
- How do DOHMH permitting holdups fit into the invoice journey? Council Member Lynn C. Schulman asked Hawkins to trace the invoice journey and DOHMH's role; Deputy Chancellor Hawkins likened it to 'Schoolhouse Rock,' explaining the path from solicitation and award through registration, and acknowledged that permit modifications and DOHMH holdups can slow the
- Can the city help providers with technology costs and siting infant classrooms safely? Council Member Gale A. Brewer raised technology hardware costs and the reuse of space such as 1972 Broadway; Deputy Chancellor Hawkins said providers can budget for hardware and that she would look into group purchasing, and—drawing on her former Bureau of Child Care role—voiced strong caution about
- Independent Budget Office testifies on reporting the bill would require Emma Gossett, Lead Budget and Policy Analyst at the New York City Independent Budget Office, delivered IBO's testimony on Int 0203-2026 and the transparency the reporting requirement would add.
- How could the bill's reporting be strengthened, and why has contract registration slowed? Chair Dinowitz and Council Members Phil Wong and Gale A. Brewer questioned IBO; Emma Gossett said monthly (rather than quarterly) disaggregation and clearer invoice submission/resubmission timing would strengthen the reporting, noted that contract registration times have grown from about 83 days in
- Daycare Council of New York on late payments and provider stability Gregory Brender of the Daycare Council of New York testified that late-payment problems, which peaked in 2022-2023 and once forced centers to miss payroll, have become less consistent but persist; questioned by Council Members Jennifer Gutiérrez, Gale A. Brewer, and Phil Wong, he said the network is
- Olena Knyzhnyk-Olsen on provider budgets and teacher pay Olena Knyzhnyk-Olsen, a provider from Brooklyn, testified about budget shocks and low pay for early childhood staff, noting an experienced licensed pre-K teacher earning around $69,000; asked by Council Member Phil Wong, she described the increase providers are seeking.
- Interagency Council of Developmental Disabilities Agencies testifies Kate Hoy, Vice President of Children's Services at the Interagency Council of Developmental Disabilities Agencies, testified in support and thanked the Committee; Chair Dinowitz, a former special education teacher, expressed gratitude for her work.
- Provider Kevin Kung on aligning systems and predictable funding Kevin Kung, an early childhood provider running multiple community-based programs, testified that misaligned systems create friction and that transparency alone does not stabilize providers—predictable funding and streamlined administration are also needed.
- Lenox Hill Neighborhood House early childhood director testifies Terry Stewart, Director of the Early Childhood Center at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, testified before the Committee on the challenges facing early childhood providers.
- UPK teacher Rebecca Schneider-Kaplan on the passion and pay of the work Rebecca Schneider-Kaplan, a UPK 4 teacher at Stepping Stones Preschool in Staten Island, testified about her passion for early childhood work; Chair Dinowitz agreed educators do not enter the field for money but deserve fair support.
- Northside Center for Child Development invites the Committee to visit Paula Magnus, Deputy Director of the Northside Center for Child Development, testified and invited the Committee to visit the center's sites; Chair Dinowitz and Council Member Gutiérrez accepted the invitation.
Agenda
1 item
- Int 0203-2026 A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reporting on payments to early childhood care and education providers Hearing Held by Committee