Free care for 2-year-olds kicks off with a limited rollout
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a plan on Thursday that would give New York City parents free child care for their 2-year-olds, starting with a phased rollout. The announcement was made at a celebratory event in Brooklyn a week after Mamdani was sworn in, marking an early political victory for the mayor.
Mamdani said at the event that, “To those who think that the promises of a campaign cannot survive once confronted with the realities of government, today is your answer.”
Start in “high-need areas,” expand over years
Under the proposal, the program would begin slowly, with the city selecting “high-need areas” for the first wave of seats. The plan would then expand gradually over years until it becomes available across New York City.
Mamdani expects the program to cover around 2,000 children this fall, though he said it was not yet clear where the first seats would open up.
State funding for the first two years
Hochul, who is up for reelection this year and has been described as a moderate, said the state would commit funding for the first two years of the city’s free child care program for 2-year-olds. She described the initiative as an expansion of New York City’s existing pre-K and 3-K programs.
Hochul said the initial funding would come from the state’s existing revenues rather than requiring new tax increases, a step she has opposed. She also said it was difficult to forecast costs in future years when the program would be more widely available.
Longer-term pre-K expansion statewide by 2028-2029
Alongside the city-specific child care plan, Hochul rolled out a longer-term proposal to expand access to universal pre-K statewide. She said she wants universal pre-K available throughout New York by the start of the 2028-2029 school year.
Hochul said she anticipates investing $1.7 billion in the near term for the programs announced Thursday. She said the proposed child care and pre-K spending would total $4.5 billion for the coming fiscal year.
Hochul to add plans in State of the State and executive budget
The governor said she will include the plans in her annual State of the State address next week and in her executive budget proposal. The proposal will then face debate and negotiations with state legislative leaders over the next few months.
Alignment on child care, but open questions remain
The announcement came after Mamdani faced questions about whether he would have the state support needed to enact his affordability-focused agenda. The plan also arrives as Hochul and Mamdani align on the free child care effort, though questions remain about how the program will take shape and what it might cost over the long term.
After the event, Hochul sidestepped a question about Mamdani’s proposal to eliminate fares for city buses, saying, “Well, we’re focused on this today.”
Advocacy group calls it a “historic moment”
Rebecca Bailin, executive director of the advocacy group New Yorkers United for Child Care, called the announcement a “historic moment.” She said that by bringing together the governor and mayor around a shared commitment to child care, “tens of thousands of families could finally get the relief they desperately need.”