Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani Unveil Phase Two of 2-K Expansion, Bringing Total Number of Seats to 12,000 Citywide

Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie said, "With the increasing cost of childcare nationwide, the expansion of both 2-K and 3-K in the largest city in America, New York City, is needed. Since the beginning of my tenure as Speaker, the Assembly Majority has prioritized legislation that continued to move the family's first agenda forward and make New York the best place to live and raise a family. Meeting the needs of growing families allows them to continue to work, provide, and eases the burden of worry. Today's announcement exemplifies the collaborative efforts between Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and the legislature, highlighting our commitment to families across NYC. Thank you to my partners in government, Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani, for their leadership and making the vision of Universal Childcare a tangible reality."

State Senator José M. Serrano said, "The expansion of New York's free 2-K program is a vital investment in the future of our children and families. Access to high-quality early childhood education helps establish a strong foundation for lifelong learning, social and emotional development, and future academic success. As the Senator proudly representing the 29th Senate District, I believe that expanding access to early education is essential to help close opportunity gaps, support working families, and ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their family's income or circumstances. Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani for their commitment to investing in our youngest learners to create a more equitable future."

State Senator Gustavo Rivera said, "By expanding the 2-K program to 12,000 seats across New York City, our State and City are strengthening their commitment to universal child care and ensuring more families in every borough have access to the early learning opportunities our children deserve. I want to commend Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani for their partnership on this investment in our children and our families for the future of New York City and beyond."

State Senator Jamaal T. Bailey said, "Expanding access to free 2-K is a vital investment in New York City's working families and the future of our children. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn and thrive from an early age; by expanding access to early childhood education, we are helping more children build strong foundations and support what they need to succeed academically and beyond. As a father, I understand how important it is to provide our children with structured growth development and early learning opportunities during these formative years. Thank you Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani for listening to the concerns of working families and taking action to expand access to free 2-K. This expansion is an important step toward creating an equitable future and making quality early education accessible to more families and children across New York City."

State Senator Andrew Gounardes said, "As a parent myself, I know first-hand that raising kids in New York can be brutally expensive. If we want this city to be a place where families can put down roots and grow, we need to tackle the affordability crisis head on, and universal childcare is at the center of that. Today, we take an important step toward making that vision a reality, as thousands of additional families will now get to benefit from high-quality 2-K. This is how we build a New York that works for working families. Thank you to Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani for their efforts on behalf of New Yorkers."

State Senator Robert Jackson said, "Every child deserves a strong beginning, and no family's future should be determined by whether they can afford child care. Expanding 2-K recognizes that child care is more than a private expense; it is public infrastructure for human possibility, giving working families greater stability and the time to build a better life. I commend Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani for moving New York closer to universal child care and turning a promise into progress, one child and one community at a time."

State Senator John Liu said, "One of the greatest challenges facing working parents with young children is finding affordable childcare, which is why the city's first-ever 2-K program is so important. This next phase opens the door for more than 12,000 families to enter into the city's increasingly robust early childcare system and helps ensure that the promise of opportunity that brings so much talent and diversity to NYC continues when New Yorkers put down roots and build their own families. Many thanks to Gov. Hochul for prioritizing New York families and moving this initiative forward."

State Senator Julia Salazar said, "Childcare for 2-year-olds costs an average of $26,000 per year - that's an astronomical amount of money that is forcing parents to decide between paying rent, putting food on the table, or ensuring their kids are looked after. We've seen how much of a lifeline Pre-K and 3-K have become for working families, and so I am thrilled that free 2-K is being expanded across our city, including to Bushwick's Community School District 32."

State Senator Cordell Cleare said, "Once again, Governor Hochul has proven her heartfelt commitment to the children and families of New York City. The rapid expansion of the 2-K Program is exactly what our communities need."

State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, "The expansion of 2-K will be a lifeline for young families in the Bronx and across the city, where the rising cost of child care has become an enormous burden. This investment provides children with a strong start in life while providing parents with some much-needed financial breathing room. I thank Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani for making this important investment in the future of our children and our communities."

State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton said, "I was proud to have advocated for this expansion of New York City's free 2K program to include Staten Island, which is a huge step in the right direction ensuring that all families have access to quality childcare. Including Staten Island in the expansion will make a major difference in the lives of families raising children in our borough, many parts of which are a childcare desert. I know firsthand as a mother of two how much of a difference that universal childcare will make, and I will continue to push for expansions of this program across Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn."

State Senator Lea Webb said, "In upstate communities and across our state, childcare remains a serious economic barrier. When parents have reliable child care, they can work, children thrive, and our entire state grows stronger. Investing in quality childcare means investing in New York State workers, our communities and our future. I am extremely grateful that Broome County will be participating in this childcare pilot program. This is about economic growth, gender equity and giving every child the strongest possible start in life."

Assemblymember Al Taylor said, "Child care is not a luxury, it is essential to the stability and success of working families. Expanding free 2-K means more parents can go to work knowing their children are safe, learning, and receiving the strong start they deserve, without facing another overwhelming household expense. I commend Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani for continuing to build on this historic partnership and expanding access to high-quality, free child care across New York City. This is how we make New York more affordable for families while investing in our children and our future."

Assemblymember Sarah Clark said, "Expanding access to 2-K in New York City is another important step toward ensuring families across New York have access to affordable, high quality child care. An additional 10,000 seats will mean more opportunities for children to learn and grow and more opportunities for families to thrive. As we continue on the path toward statewide universal child care, I commend Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul for their continued commitment and investment, and I look forward to continuing the work to expand child care access to all communities in our state."