New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a plan on Thursday to significantly expand child care services in New York City. The initiative includes the introduction of free child care for 2-year-olds and is framed as a step toward achieving universal child care for children under five years old across the state. The city will receive $1.21 billion to support the initial phases of this expansion.
Program Details
The newly announced program will allocate $1.21 billion for New York City, designated to support the initial implementation of universal child care services. Governor Hochul has committed to fully funding the first two years of the city's free child care program for 2-year-olds.
According to city plans, these funds will be utilized to address requirements for universal care for 3-year-olds and to enroll approximately 2,000 two-year-olds into the program beginning this fall. The program for 2-year-olds is an expansion of the city's existing universal pre-kindergarten initiative.
Implementation and Timeline
The initial phase of the program for 2-year-olds will prioritize "high-need areas" as designated by the city. A broader, city-wide expansion of the program is scheduled to occur by its fourth year.
Governor Hochul also indicated a commitment to pursuing a broader, statewide free child care initiative beyond this city-specific expansion.