New York’s Manhattan neighborhoods, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, will be among the first to get free 2-year-old child care this fall, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday (local time).
“2-K is coming,” NYC Mayor Mamdani wrote on X, saying that in 2026 his administration will deliver 2,000 free child seats for 2-year-olds across the city.
Next fall, Mamdani said his administration “will be ready to serve 12,000 children.”
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This is where the free version of 2-K starts first
The initial round of the 2-K program aims to serve families in the most needy neighborhoods with a focus on inclusive access for children with disabilities and families in temporary housing,
The following neighborhoods were selected —
Washington Heights, Hamilton Heights and Inwood, part of School District 6.
Fordham, Belmont, Norwood, Morris Heights, Van Cortlandt Village and Kingsbridge are all part of School District 10.
Canarsie, Remsen Village, Brownsville and Ocean Hill, part of school districts 18 and 23.
Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Howard Beach, Woodhaven and Rockaways, part of School District 27.
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Will all 2 year olds be eligible?
Yes, mostly, but there are caveats.
According to Emma Liss, chief of the Office of Child Welfare in the New York City Mayor’s office, children may need 2 years to enter the program, depending on the setting, due to health codes.
Therefore, children with autumn birthdays may not be eligible right away.
Education news site Chalkbeat reported that while the sites will open in September 2026, enrollment is expected to be continuous throughout the fall to accommodate children turning two, from Sept. 10 — the expected first day of school — to Dec. 31, when children who turn 3 or 4 that calendar year enroll in the city’s preschool programs.
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The road ahead
While Mamdani has promised to deliver 12,000 free 2-K seats by the fall of 2027, estimates by advocates cited by The New York Times suggest that about 55,000 children will use the NYC mayor’s free child care program once it’s built.
Currently, New York will contribute $73 million in the first year of the 2-K and $425 million in the second, but it is not yet clear how the program will be funded after the second year.
However, on Tuesday, when she announced the first vacant 2-K seats, Gov. Hochul indicated she was willing to put in more money and make a full commitment.
“New York State is not going away … not now, not ever, you can count on that,” Hochul said during a news conference.
Meanwhile, Mamdani promised: “This is just the beginning. Universal childcare is within reach – and we are doing it.”
