NYC expands free 2-K childcare to the Bronx and Staten Island with 10,000 more seats

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) — New York City is expanding its free childcare program for 2-year-olds to additional neighborhoods, including all of the Bronx and Staten Island.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined Gov. Kathy Hochul and other elected officials Monday to announce the expansion.

Beginning next fall, the city will add 10,000 more 2-K seats, including in 17 additional school districts across the city. The expansion is in addition to the 2,000 children in five districts who began participating in the program this fall.

The mayor said the need for the program is clear.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin said about 375,000 parents, mainly mothers, left the workforce because they could not find affordable, accessible childcare.

Mamdani said free 2-K will save parents roughly $25,000 a year.

After the expansion, the program will serve 22 of the city’s 32 school districts.

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