NEWYORK: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul announced the school districts that will receive the next 10,000 2-K seats in fall 2027, expanding the program to every borough, every Bronx school district and all of Staten Island.
Building on the historic launch of 2-K earlier this year and strong demand from families, the expansion will bring free, high-quality, culturally responsive child care and early education to more than 12,000 families beginning in fall 2027.
To celebrate the announcement, the Mayor and Governor joined families and child care providers at a Bronx trampoline park to hop, bounce and leap toward a more affordable city for working families.
On the eighth day of his administration, Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul announced the launch of 2-K in five school districts around New York City for fall 2026.
Families submitted more than 5,700 applications for the first 2,000 seats. Backed by a $1.2 billion State investment, this expansion advances the City’s vision of universal child care for children from six weeks to five years old.
“For far too many New York City families, the joy of welcoming a child comes with a terrifying set of questions: How will I afford child care? Will I need to give up my job? Will I be forced to leave the city I love? Today, for 10,000 more families, we have an answer,” said Mayor Mamdani.
“From Co-op City in the Bronx to Staten Island’s South Shore, we’re bringing 2-K to every borough and making New York City more affordable for working people. Families have told us what they need. Together with Governor Hochul, we are delivering.”
“Generations of parents have had to contend with the stress of child care costs in this city and state – but thanks to our partnership with Mayor Mamdani, that’s changing,” Governor Hochul said.
“Last month, we stood together to celebrate the first day of 2-K in New York City, welcoming more than 2,000 kids to their new classrooms. Now, we’re pleased to announce the next phase, expanding the program to 10,000 more families across the city, including all of the Bronx and Staten Island. This is how we deliver real relief for working families, and make sure our kids get the best possible start in life.”
“As an educator and a parent, I know that education begins long before kindergarten. These early years are critical to building the foundation for lifelong learning, curiosity, confidence, and connection,” said Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels.
“Universal 2K doesn’t just help working New Yorkers, it gives our youngest learners a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success, and I’m proud to be a part of an administration that invests in our families from the very start.”
“Expanding 2-K to reach 10,000 additional children is a critical step toward delivering universal child care for all New Yorkers,” said Emmy Liss, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.
“We have learned valuable lessons from parents and providers as we launched the first 2,000 seats this year. Continued engagement with families, educators and communities will inform and strengthen the program as we expand.”
The expansion will bring 2-K programs to 17 more of the City’s 32 geographic school districts, covering all five boroughs and bringing the total to 22 school districts. The City will also expand capacity in the five districts already offering 2-K to better meet demand.
