These are the NYC neighborhoods that will get free 2-K next fall

Key Points:

• New York City will expand its 2-K program to offer free preschool seats for 2-year-olds in every school district in the Bronx and Staten Island next fall, adding 10,000 new seats citywide and increasing total seats to 12,000 in districts that started the program this year.
• The expansion is part of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's push for universal childcare, funded by a $1.2 billion state investment pledged by Governor Kathy Hochul, who has committed to supporting the program for at least two years and hinted at potential tax increases to sustain it.
• The program will run full-day, year-round in 22 out of 32 school districts, contrasting with existing 3-K and pre-K programs that offer only six hours of free care during the school year; advocacy groups are urging the city to extend those programs' hours to match 2-K.
• City officials will engage with families and providers through surveys and requests for new 2-K providers, while hiring 200 additional staffers to address previous payment delays and improve contract processing.
• The city plans to release application details soon, with the new 2-K offerings expanding to specific neighborhoods across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island based on demand and provider capacity.