New York Governor Hochu announced on Thursday (January 8) a collaboration with New York City Mayor Mamdani to launch the “2-Year Free Childcare Program” (2-Care) and expand 3K and universal pre-kindergarten education. The state government is investing $8 billion to promote universal childcare, with an expected benefit to 100,000 children. This policy will be piloted in high-demand areas initially and expanded citywide within four years to alleviate the parenting and work pressures on families.
According to an official press release from the governor’s office, this investment will provide affordable childcare or pre-kindergarten education services to nearly 100,000 additional children. Hochu pledged that by the 2028-2029 school year, all four-year-old children in the state will have access to pre-K resources, ending the unequal distribution of resources among different districts.
Hochu stated that in the 2027 fiscal year, the total investment in childcare and pre-kindergarten education in New York State will reach approximately $4.5 billion, with $1.7 billion as additional expenses allocated as regular budget items rather than one-time grants. Since taking office in 2021, the state government has invested over $8 billion in childcare-related infrastructure and subsidies, paving the way for universal childcare.
During a press conference, Hochu shared her personal experience to illustrate the policy background. She recalled how she had to give up her political career in Washington and become a full-time caregiver for her children when she couldn’t afford childcare costs when she was young. She pointed out that in New York City, annual childcare expenses for families typically range between $26,000 and $40,000, often surpassing public university tuition fees, becoming a significant factor affecting labor participation rates, fertility desires, and population mobility.
As outlined by the governor and mayor, New York State will fully cover the first two years’ startup and operational costs of the New York City “2-Year Free Childcare Program,” demonstrating a strong commitment from the state government to this initiative. The city will be responsible for implementing and expanding the program, initially prioritizing quotas in high-demand communities and expanding to all families in need citywide within approximately four years.
Mamdani emphasized that this program not only fulfills the city government’s campaign promises but also signifies a shift in state-city relations. He stressed that political friction between Albany and City Hall has hindered policy implementation in the past, and this collaboration aims to establish a governance model based on “collaboration rather than competition.”
The city estimates that with the expansion of the “2-Year Free Childcare Program” and 3K quotas, eligible families can save over $20,000 annually per child in childcare expenses.
At the state level, Hochu plans to concurrently advance universal childcare through various measures. The state will further expand childcare vouchers with an additional $1.2 billion in funding, bringing total subsidies to over $3 billion. The program currently serves approximately 170,000 children, more than 2.5 times the number before Hochu took office, with most families paying no more than $15 per week out of pocket.
Furthermore, the state will invest around $470 million to assist school districts that have not fully implemented pre-K in establishing a pre-kindergarten education system and raising the standards for per-student subsidies to ensure quality. For counties outside of New York City, the state will also initiate community-based childcare pilots to provide year-round, full-day childcare services for children aged 0 to 3.
To coordinate this multi-year reform, the state will establish the “Childcare and Early Childhood Education Office” to oversee the implementation of pre-K, 3K, the “2-Year Free Childcare Program,” and related subsidy policies. Additionally, the state plans to expand the supply of early childhood education personnel through scholarships, training programs, and partnerships with the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY), as well as to enhance incentives for retaining childcare workers.