Families in two Brooklyn school districts will be able to apply for the highly anticipated free 2-K seats that will be available in the fall of 2026.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, alongside Governor Kathy Hochul and NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels, on Tuesday said there will be about 2,000 seats available in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx. In Brooklyn, families in school districts 18 and 23, which covers Canarsie, Remsen Village, Brownsville and Ocean Hill, can apply to the coveted spots.
The communities were selected based on economic need, projected childcare demand, existing access gaps, provider capacity and readiness, officials said.
This is the first phase of free 2-K, as the administration continues to work toward making universal childcare a reality for every two-year-old in New York City, the mayor said.
“The era of empty promises is over,” Mamdani said.
Earlier this year, the governor committed more than $1.2 billion to support early childhood care and education, including $73 million to fund the first set of free 2-K seats. That investment is expected to grow to $425 million next year, marking one of the largest state commitments to childcare in the city’s history.
“This is the first time the state of New York has made such an unprecedented commitment into the families and children of the city of New York,” said Hochul, the first mom governor of New York.
The 2-K expansion was first announced on the eighth day of the Mamdani administration and has since become a key part of his broader plan to make childcare universal for all children under five.
The program will provide free childcare for two-year-olds to any family who needs it, as long as they live in the corresponding school district. By fall 2027, 2-K is expected to serve approximately 12,000 children across all five boroughs, with full universality planned within four years.
Hochul said she is committed to deliver universal childcare with the state budget's existing revenue. She did not provide additional funding details, including the possibility of raising taxes, to pay for the expansion of the program.
“Our kids are worth every penny, but the costs are so incredible,” she said.
Services will begin in September 2026, with rolling enrollment throughout the fall to accommodate children turning two at different points in the year. In the coming days, the city will begin planning efforts with child care centers and family child care providers in these four communities, officials said.
