{"id":41045,"date":"2026-08-06T15:49:59","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T15:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/?p=41045"},"modified":"2026-08-06T15:49:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T15:49:59","slug":"mayor-mamdani-and-governor-hochul-extend-2-k-offers-to-more-than-2000-children-announce-more-than-5700-applications-submitted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/archives\/41045","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul extend 2-K offers to more than 2,000 children, announce more than 5,700 applications submitted"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEWYORK: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul announced that more than 2,000 children are receiving offers to join New York City\u2019s inaugural 2-K class.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Mayor and Governor also announced that following the City\u2019s first-ever 2-K application season, more than 5,700 families applied for just over 2,000 seats \u2013 clear evidence of the extraordinary demand for free, universal child care across the five boroughs. Each free 2-K seat will save New York City families an average of $26,000 a year.<\/p>\n

Among families receiving initial offers, 82% are matched with one of their top three choices, and more than half are receiving their first-choice program. 99% of all offers are to a program listed on a family\u2019s application. As Mayor Mamdani announced earlier this year, the majority of seats will be full-day and full-year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe overwhelming demand for 2-K shows what families across the city have known for years: New Yorkers need free, universal child care, and they need it now,\u201d said\u00a0Mayor Mamdani.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore than 5,700 families applied because affordable child care allows New York families to stay in the city they love. From our 2K for 2-K race in Fort Tryon Park to building sandcastles with families in the Rockaways, our administration travelled across the city to ensure families had the information they needed to apply. That\u2019s how government should work, and this is only the beginning. Together with Governor Hochul, we\u2019ll keep expanding 2-K until every family that wants a seat can get one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThousands of families across NYC are applying for childcare for their two-year-olds, making clear that this is the kind of opportunity that families have been waiting generations for,\u201d\u00a0Governor Hochul\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

\u201cStarting a family while working full-time was nearly impossible for me, which is why I\u2019ve made it my mission to make sure no parent has to choose between their career and their children. I\u2019m proud to partner with Mayor Mamdani in delivering these first 2-K seats, and I\u2019ll continue putting New York on a path to universal childcare, supporting families across the state.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen our kids have access to the high-quality care and early learning we will see in 2-K classrooms across the city, we are giving them the strongest possible foundation for everything that comes next,\u201d said\u00a0Emmy Liss, Executive Director of the Mayor\u2019s Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s offers represent more than seats in a classroom \u2013 they represent peace of mind for parents, opportunity for children, and another step toward making universal child care a reality for every New Yorker.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are giving our youngest New Yorkers the high-quality early learning experiences that set the foundation for a lifetime of success in school and beyond,\u201d said\u00a0<\/strong>Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe overwhelming response from families shows just how urgently this program is needed, and we’re excited to welcome New York’s cutest and their families into our schools this fall. We remain committed to working alongside the Mayor and Governor to grow 2-K until every family who wants a seat has one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe enthusiasm we’ve seen from families speaks for itself. New Yorkers are asking for a stronger early childhood system that supports children from the very beginning and gives parents greater stability,\u201d said\u00a0Council Member Jennifer Guti\u00e9rrez, Chair of the NYC Council\u2019s Subcommittee on Early Childhood Education. \u201cToday’s offers are an encouraging start, and I look forward to continuing the work of growing this program in the years ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExpanding 2K will give thousands more New Yorkers the ability to return to work or pursue careers without the obstacle of inaccessible or cost-prohibitive childcare,\u201d said\u00a0Council Member and Education Committee Chair Eric Dinowitz.<\/p>\n

\u201cBesides giving our 2-year-olds a headstart on their education, this program will lessen the burden on our working families, which is transformative for our children and our city. Thank you to Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani for making this important investment into the future of our families and our children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thank Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul for making this important investment in New York City’s children and families. One of the best investments the City can make is in our youngest New Yorkers. High-quality early education gives kids a strong start, helps parents stay in the workforce, and supports working families. Building on the success of Pre-K and 3-K will strengthen New York City for years to come,\u201d said\u00a0Council Member Gale A. Brewer.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore a child can find their voice in the world, we must decide what kind of world will receive them. I commend Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul for coming together around a responsibility greater than any one office or level of government: giving our children the care and opportunity they deserve. Universal child care is more than a public program; it is a declaration that care belongs within the architecture of justice. When government stands beside families from the very beginning, it does more than meet a need \u2014 it widens the horizon of what every child may one day become,\u201d said\u00a0State Senator Robert Jackson.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew York’s progress towards universal childcare is creating hope right here in the Bronx. The 2,000 2-K offer letters mark an exciting step for New York families dreading the high cost of childcare. I want to thank Governor Hochul, Mayor Mamdani, and their teams for prioritizing this issue and for their commitment to building an affordable, accessible childcare system for every New York family,\u201d said\u00a0State Senator Gustavo Rivera.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEWYORK: Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul announced that more than 2,000 children are receiving offers to join New York City\u2019s inaugural 2-K class. The Mayor and Governor also announced that following the City\u2019s first-ever 2-K application season, more than 5,700 families applied for just over 2,000 seats \u2013 clear evidence of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":41046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1469,31,1378],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-york","category-news","category-us"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41045"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41045\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41047,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41045\/revisions\/41047"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}