Child Care Expansion: A Pillar of Mayor Mamdani’s Agenda

Mayor Zohran Mamdani aims to expand New York City’s public preschool programs into a universal child care system. This initiative is a key part of his agenda to improve affordability in the city.

With the backing of Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Mamdani secured budget support for this expansion, focusing on programs for 3- and 4-year-olds. Efforts have included promotions on social media, LinkNYC kiosks, and cab televisions to encourage applications.

Despite these efforts, the number of applications for preschool programs has remained nearly unchanged. The city received over 94,400 applications for 3-K and pre-K seats this fall, slightly fewer than last year. This number has decreased from about 103,000 applicants two years ago.

These stagnant numbers prompt questions about the demand for child care and the effectiveness of outreach strategies. Mayor Mamdani’s administration is focused on expanding child care as part of the city’s affordability strategy.

Recent years have seen a plateau in preschool program enrollment, influenced by various factors. These include a decline in birth rates, more families leaving the city, and fewer migrants moving in.

The number of children eligible for pre-K stayed consistent, while 3-K saw about 1,000 fewer eligible children, echoing the drop in applications.