New York expands free childcare: the 2-K program will add 10,000 seats

NEW YORK. — Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday, October 19, the next phase of the "2-K" program, which will expand free childcare for two-year-olds with 10,000 additional seats across New York City.

With this expansion, funded by a $425 million state allocation reserved by Governor Kathy Hochul, the program will reach 17 more school districts next academic year and cover all of Staten Island and the Bronx, according to city officials. Enrollment would surpass 12,000 children, about six times the pilot program's initial capacity.

The five districts that received the first 2,000 seats this year but could not meet parent demand will also see their capacity increased. City Hall's goal is for the program to become universal citywide by the end of Mamdani's first term, in 2029.

"This is how we deliver real relief to working families and make sure our children have the best possible start in life," Governor Hochul said in a statement.

For thousands of Latino and Dominican families in the city, where childcare is one of the largest household expenses, the expansion is one of the most anticipated public benefits of the year.

Photo: La Tribuna Hispana

Source: La Tribuna Hispana.