Overview
- New York City opened 3‑K and pre‑K applications, which are available to all children turning 3 or 4, with a February 27 deadline.
- The joint plan includes launching 2‑Care for 2‑year‑olds this year in targeted areas and phasing it in citywide over four years, with about 2,000 children expected to be served this fall.
- Hochul proposed an additional $1.7 billion for child care, bringing total planned spending to $4.5 billion in FY2027, and outlined a new Office of Child Care and Early Education.
- A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to freeze $10 billion in child‑care funds for five states, including New York, after HHS cited suspected fraud.
- Mamdani criticized the Adams administration over past outreach for early childhood programs, while an Adams spokesman pointed to a prior $5 million enrollment campaign, and commentators raised concerns about long‑term costs and oversight of home‑based care.