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Long Island is getting a lot more free Pre-K, with 84 school districts adding new seats this year.
At a Glance:
84 Long Island school districts are adding free Pre-K seats this year.
The expansion is part of a $560 million investment in early childhood education.
400+ school districts across New York are adding new Pre-K seats.
Long Island is getting more new Pre-K seats than any other region in New York this year.
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More Free Pre-K Coming to Long Island
Governor Kathy Hochul has said time and time again that she wants every child in New York to have access to free Pre-K, and little by little we are making our way there. Today, Hochul announced a major expansion of free Pre-K, and Long Island is getting the largest share of new seats of any region in New York State.
As part of a $560 million investment, 84 Long Island school districts are expanding free Pre-K this year. New York City and other districts around the state are also growing their programs.
Across the state, more than 400 school districts are expanding free Pre-K this year, which is over half of all public districts in New York.
Long Island’s 84 participating districts make up the biggest concentration of new Pre-K seats anywhere in New York this year. In comparison, the Mid-Hudson region is adding seats in 53 districts, and Western New York in 58.
This is all part of a bigger effort to take some of the financial pressure off families when it comes to child care, which is often one of the biggest expenses a family can have. New York is putting $1.6 billion into child care programs, and funding for universal Pre-K has grown by more than 70 percent since 2021.
Hochul points out that childcare can run anywhere from $20K to $40K per year, and many parents are trying to survive on low wages. She says she doesn’t want families to feel like they have to leave New York due to childcare expenses.
More seats are on the way in the coming years as New York works toward free Pre-K for every child by 2028, which really isn’t that far away.
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