New York City’s new budget includes a major expansion of CUNY’s early childhood teacher training as Mayor Mamdani launches free childcare for 2-year-olds — but the investment falls millions of dollars short of the public university’s opening request.
The budget earmarked $2.5 million to “expand early childhood education to help meet the city’s universal 2-year-old childcare goal,” according to a CUNY news release on Wednesday night.
CUNY officials requested $6 million for the initiative earlier this year.
City Hall would not answer questions about the smaller investment, if it will be sufficient to meet the city’s needs or if it will be further expanded in future years.
“Our early childhood educators are the backbone of our city — the workforce behind the workforce,” said Jenna Lyle, a spokeswoman for Mayor Mamdani. “As we deliver universal child care, expanding and partnering with the workforce is a priority, demonstrated by the city’s $2.5 million investment in this work. In partnership with CUNY, we are eager to continue supporting the growth of this workforce.”
Mamdani ran for mayor on a promise of free childcare for all New York City families, regardless of income, with kids ages 6 weeks and older.
This fall, Mamdani will launch free daycare for 2-year-olds, known as “2-K,” and expand preschool for 3-year-olds or “3-K.” Both new investments were funded by Gov. Hochul in Albany.
2-K is opening with 2,000 seats in September, before growing to 12,000 the following school year. The goal is to make the program available citywide by the end of Mamdani’s current term. Meanwhile, the existing 3-K program is getting 2,000 new seats next school year.
Susan Watts / Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announce the launch of the application process for the first 2,000 2-K seats on June 2 in Queens. (Susan Watts / Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)
The dramatic expansion of the city’s early childhood system will require a similarly rapid scaling of its workforce.
In March, CUNY officials testified at a City Council hearing they wanted to be part of the solution, helping to train thousands of future childcare providers. The public university system recently launched an apprenticeship program that places aspiring early childhood teacher in paid jobs while they earn a tuition-free Child Development Associate “CDA” certificate from the CUNY School of Professional Studies.
A CUNY spokesman did not share how many future providers the system may be able to train with the $2.5 million, saying: “We’re still reviewing budget details.” CUNY officials previously estimated more than 3,800 new childcare providers may be necessary for 2-K and require a CDA credential.
The spokesman said CUNY will continue to push for more funding for the initiative in future years.
“This budget expands our ability to train early childhood educators,” CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez said in a statement on Wednesday night. “On behalf of the entire University, I thank our partners in city government for their continued support in the academic, cultural and well-being of our vital community.”