NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – The first families to test out free, universal 2-K in New York City will come from just four districts across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.
Just 2,000 seats will be available in the next year for New Yorkers turning 2 in 2026, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Tuesday.
These are the first areas that will have free 2-K seats:
School District 6: Washington Heights, Hamilton Heights and Inwood
School District 10: Fordham, Belmont, Norwood, Morris Heights, Van Cortlandt Village and Kingsbridge
School Districts 18 and 23: Canarsie, Remsen Village, Brownsville and Ocean Hill
School District 27: Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Howard Beach, Woodhaven and Rockaways
Applications are expected to open in early summer. Anyone living in these communities can apply, regardless of immigration status or income.
The first four areas were chosen based on economic need, demand, access gaps and programmatic readiness, according to Mamdani.
Another 12,000 seats are expected to become available in the next year, and a seat for every 2-year-old in New York will be available within four years, Mamdani said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has agreed to pay for the program for the first two years. It’s left some wondering how the city will afford it after that money runs dry.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
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