Nearly $170M Will Go To NYC 3-K And Pre-K Programs, Mayor Says

NEW YORK CITY — Mayor Eric Adams announced on Wednesday that he would commit $167 million in funding that would ensure the long term continuation of early childhood education programs in the city.

The $167 million investment in the mayor's executive budget would give $112 million to expand the city's 3-K program and $55 million would go to universal pre-K special education programs.

Adams announced the move alongside former Mayor Bill de Blasio and School Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos.

“To truly make New York City the best place to raise a family, we know we must invest in our children’s future, and today, we’re making bold investments in early childhood education — to ensure our youngest students have the tools they need to succeed, and so parents don’t have to choose between earning a paycheck and caring for their children,” Adams said.

The city plans to give the programs the same level of funding annually — known as baselining.

Adams said the funding would become "a permanent part of our city’s budget so that the programs can and will be maintained for years to come.”

The mayor's funding still falls short of the $197 million figure City Council had previously pushed for, according to City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Finance Chair Justin Brannan, and Education Chair Rita Joseph.

"While it is positive that Mayor Adams is returning and baselining some of the money withheld from his budget that the council fought for, he is still cutting tens of millions of dollars from our children,” they said in a statement. “Taking funding away from children’s programs that our families rely on and putting some of it back does not truly help in the long-term, but harms the early childhood education system.”