Mayor Mamdani Unveils 1,000 New 3-K Seats Across NYC

Expansion to bring free early childhood education to underserved communities

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the expansion of universal 3-K in New York City, adding more than 1,000 new seats across 56 ZIP codes where demand has outpaced supply. The initiative, supported by Governor Kathy Hochul, aims to make quality early childhood education more accessible to working families by locating programs in the communities where they live.

Why it matters

This expansion of 3-K access is a key part of Mayor Mamdani's agenda to make New York City more affordable and welcoming for families. By bringing free preschool programs closer to where people live, the city is removing barriers that have prevented many working parents from taking advantage of 3-K in the past.

The details

The 1,000+ new 3-K seats will be added in neighborhoods across the five boroughs, including several ZIP codes on Staten Island. The city is partnering with both existing and new early childhood providers to rapidly scale up capacity. This builds on the mayor's recent announcement of 2,000 free child care seats for 2-year-olds, with the goal of universal 2-K by 2027.

  • The new 3-K seats will be available starting in the 2026-2027 school year.
  • Last week, the city announced 2,000 free child care seats for 2-year-olds, with plans to expand to universal 2-K by 2027.

The players

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani

The mayor of New York City, leading the effort to expand access to early childhood education.

Governor Kathy Hochul

The governor of New York, partnering with the city to fund the 3-K expansion.

Kamar H. Samuels

The chancellor of the New York City Public Schools, overseeing the implementation of the 3-K program.

Emmy Liss

The executive director of the Office of Child Care and Early Childhood Education, responsible for working with providers to expand 3-K capacity.

Richmond Pre-K Center

A pre-K school on Staten Island that hosted the mayor's announcement.

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What they’re saying

“When we invest in our youngest learners, New York's cutest, we invest in the future of our city.”

— Kamar H. Samuels, Chancellor, New York City Public Schools (Mirage News)

“Today, we are taking an important step towards fixing that.”

— Kamar H. Samuels, Chancellor, New York City Public Schools (Mirage News)

What’s next

The city will work with early childhood providers to confirm their capacity and interest in offering new 3-K seats starting this fall. Details on the specific number of new seats in each borough will be announced as that process is completed.

The takeaway

This expansion of 3-K access is a key part of Mayor Mamdani's agenda to make New York City more affordable and welcoming for families, removing barriers that have prevented many working parents from taking advantage of free preschool in the past.