City officials announced May 19, 2026, that 99,921 offers for 3-K and Pre-K seats have been extended for the upcoming school year, with more families receiving placements at one of their top-choice programs and average travel distances decreasing across New York City.
On the eighth day of the administration, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul outlined early steps toward universal child care, including the launch of 2-K, expanded Pre-K access and an accelerated push to increase 3-K availability in neighborhood-based settings.
The initiative is supported by more than $1.2 billion in state funding and has already improved program matching, reduced waitlists and increased access to preferred early childhood seats.
“Today’s announcement marks a new era for child care in New York City — one where families can trust that government will deliver for them,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Across the five boroughs, families are traveling shorter distances, more children are receiving offers to their top-choice programs and fewer parents are being forced to choose between unaffordable private care and leaving the city they love. This is what government excellence looks like.”
This year, fewer families were assigned to programs they did not list on their applications. The average distance between home and assigned 3-K programs decreased by 0.85 miles, or roughly 17 city blocks.
More than 700 additional 3-K seats announced through the waitlist process are expected to further improve access and reduce travel distances.
The share of families receiving their top-choice program rose from 65% to 70%, while placements within a family’s top three choices increased from 80% to 84%.
Meanwhile, the percentage of families placed in programs not listed on their applications declined from 15% to 12%.
Out-of-borough placements also dropped significantly, falling from 720 last year to fewer than 200 this year, all within three miles of home.
“Every child deserves a strong start and every parent deserves to know their child has a safe, high-quality place to learn and grow,” said Gov. Hochul.
Earlier expansions included the opening of previously vacant child care sites and the addition of more than 2,000 3-K seats across multiple neighborhoods.
The broader effort is aimed at improving affordability, reducing travel burdens and strengthening access to early childhood education, supported by ongoing outreach and staffing investments across city agencies.
