The opportunity ladder begins with comprehensive sex education and family planning services, so that families are not started until parents are ready for the task.

The next rung is access to top-notch pre-natal health services, so that the crucial first months of development are unimpeded.

The next rung is dramatically expanded access to the Nurse Family Partnership program - a proven program that offers expectant and new mothers a partnership with a specially trained professional for the first couple of years of a child's life. The NFP helps ease the transition into parenthood and the provides tools to help new parents create a healthy family environment.

Expanded child-care and universal pre-k are the next rungs.

The next step up the ladder are top-notch public schools that move students from kindergarten to college readiness.

In our globalizing economy, affordable college education for all is the necessary final rung.

If we implement these steps of the opportunity ladder, all New Yorkers will have their shot - if they choose to take it - at the American dream.