More than 75,000 families have already applied — here is what every New York parent needs to know
The Deadline Every NYC Parent Needs to Know
Mayor Zohran Mamdani personally visited a Pre-K and 3-K program in Morningside Heights this week, building a snowman with students and reminding families that the application deadline for the 2026-27 school year is February 27. It is a simple message with significant stakes: New York City offers free early childhood education to every child turning three or four this year, regardless of family income or immigration status. Every family that applies by the deadline will receive an offer. Applications are not first-come, first-served. More than 75,000 families had already applied since the window opened January 14 — but officials estimate many eligible families remain unaware of the program, particularly in immigrant communities where trust in government outreach is lower.
What the Programs Offer
Pre-K and 3-K provide full-day, school-year educational programs for children aged three and four, at no cost to families. Curriculum emphasizes early literacy, numeracy, social-emotional development, and school readiness. Programs are available across all five boroughs, in both public school and community-based settings. Online applications are available through myschools.nyc in 13 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Bengali, Korean, Russian, Haitian Creole, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, French, Albanian, and English. Families can also apply in person at City Family Welcome Centers or by calling 718-935-2009. The multilingual application system reflects a specific policy commitment: these programs are designed for all New York City families, not just English speakers or citizens.
The Universal 2-K Expansion
Mamdani’s administration is extending the universal early childhood commitment even further. With funding from Governor Hochul, New York City will launch an initial 2,000 seats for a 2-K program this fall — the first time two-year-old children will be offered publicly funded early childhood education in New York City. The city also issued a new request for information for 2-K and 3-K providers, the first such RFI in five years, inviting new community and home-based providers to join the system. An early childhood center on the Upper East Side, delayed under the previous administration, has been opened to address demand in that neighborhood. The administration is working to expand 3-K capacity citywide based on application data showing where additional seats are needed.
Why This Matters for Working Families
The mayor’s office has put a specific number on what childcare costs in New York City: more than $26,000 per year. For a family earning $80,000 or $100,000 — comfortable by national standards, modest by New York standards — that figure represents an enormous share of take-home income. The free Pre-K and 3-K programs effectively eliminate that cost for eligible families, providing both direct financial relief and educational benefits that research consistently links to better long-term outcomes for children. The National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University publishes annual state-by-state assessments of pre-K program quality and access. Its research consistently documents the long-term educational, economic, and social returns from high-quality early childhood education.
The AOC Partnership and Immigrant Outreach
Mamdani teamed up with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for a Spanish-language outreach campaign specifically aimed at reaching immigrant families before the deadline. The collaboration is significant: it signals a recognition that administrative outreach through official channels is insufficient to reach communities that have reasons to be wary of government contact. Trusted messengers — elected officials, community organizations, faith leaders — are essential to closing the gap between program availability and actual enrollment. The city is coordinating with community-based organizations, faith leaders, and shelter-based staff to host application workshops and conduct direct outreach, particularly to families who are hesitant to engage with city agencies. Shelter residents are receiving dedicated application assistance.
Universal Childcare as Political Economy
The Pre-K, 3-K, and 2-K programs are not just educational investments. They are economic ones. When families do not have to pay $26,000 per year for childcare, they have more money to spend at local businesses, save for housing, or cover the everyday costs of living in an expensive city. When parents — disproportionately mothers — do not have to make career sacrifices to cover childcare, the city’s workforce participation rates improve. These are the arguments Mamdani needs to make more forcefully in the Albany budget debate: that universal childcare is not just a social good but an economic multiplier that benefits businesses, workers, and the city’s fiscal health simultaneously. For now, the immediate task is simpler: making sure every eligible family knows the deadline is February 27, and that the city’s website, phone line, and community partners are ready to help them apply.
