Mayor Eric Adams says $514 million in "protected" money will be used for the educational programs, which were previously supported by temporary stimulus dollars released during the COVID-19 pandemic that were set to expire.
Funding for some pre-k programs and universal 3-K had been in doubt given the city's budget crunch, prompting the mayor to announce the deal after he came under fire by a newly formed group of seven City Council members, all with young children.
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The New Parents Caucus called on the mayor to make sure every three- and four-year-old who wants a free preschool seat gets one. It also wants universal free child care for younger kids.
The money will pay for expansion of schooling for 3-K, support social workers and psychologists, and provide resources for pre-K programs, including special education.
$Five million will also be spent on outreach to better inform parents about 3-K availability, which in some communities, has waiting lists and empty seats in others.
Parent Julie Ayala was well aware of the proposed cuts.
"Oh, I didn't know that. I heard it all the way, when I was doing work in California, and I heard about it in New York all the way in California," Ayala said.
The proposed cuts even went viral this week with a popular youtuber calling out the administration.
The money is a mix of city and state funds.
"We have not laid off our teachers. We looked at this fiscal crisis and we managed it in an appropriate way with our partners in the City Council," Mayor Adams said.
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