Universal child care

Free 2-K program launched with Governor Hochul ($1.2B state commitment). 2,000 seats in four communities, full-day and full-year (260 days, 8AM-6PM) launching fall 2026. FY27 Executive Budget (May 12): $122M to hire 1,000 educators, modest pay bump for early-childhood staff, $70M for preschool special education, $380M baselined for early childhood education. Hochul Pre-K-for-3s funding only covers years 1-2 of the rollout (one-shot exposure flagged by Comptroller Levine). Class-size law DELAYED by state agreement to ease compliance pressure. [2026-05-18 update] Mamdani doubled the 3-K expansion: ~2,000 additional seats announced Mon May 18 for fall 2026, mostly via community-based provider partnerships, plus a new Columbia Waterfront Brooklyn early-childhood center (63 seats). Pairs with the Hochul-Mamdani extension of nearly 100K 3-K and pre-K offers for the 2026-27 school year. Waitlist opened on myschools.nyc. [2026-05-19 EOD update] Joint Mamdani-Hochul-Samuels presser Tue May 19: 99,921 3-K/pre-K offers extended for 2026-27 — 70% got their top 3-K choice (up from 65%), 85% got a top-three pick (up from 80%); avg 3-K travel distance cut ~6 blocks. Hochul confirmed $1.2B state early-childhood funding. Chalkbeat (5/19) and Gothamist (5/19) counter-frame: total preschool enrollment flat YoY despite the seat expansion — the improvement is geographic match, not raw growth.