Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Chancellor Kamar Samuels today announced that New York City will continue funding the Birth-to-2 (B-2) Initiative through the 2026-27 school year, building on the program's launch earlier this year and the Mamdani administration's broader commitment to strengthening early childhood care and education services for families across the five boroughs.
Launched in January 2026, the City-funded initiative expanded access to free, high-quality infant and toddler care in communities with limited affordable care options. This fall, the program will serve more than 120 children across 10 community-based programs.
"Reliable and affordable child care changes lives. It means more money in parents' pockets, more freedom to pursue the work they love and fewer families being pushed out of New York City because they can no longer afford to stay," said Mayor Mamdani. "By continuing to fund these seats, we are investing in our very youngest New Yorkers and taking another step toward universal child care for every family in New York City."
"The earliest years of a child's life are critical to a child's development and future success," said Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels. "Through this programming, we are helping more families access high-quality early care and education services while strengthening a more connected early childhood system for children and families across New York City. This continued investment reflects our shared commitment to supporting children from the very start."
Initially supported through a $10 million City investment in partnership with the City Council, the program strengthens New York City's broader Birth-to-Five early childhood continuum. Through partnerships with trusted community-based providers, the initiative supports working families while expanding access to safe, nurturing and developmentally rich early learning environments for infants and toddlers. Participating programs will continue receiving operational support and resources through existing New York City Public School funding.
Like the City's 2-K, 3-K and Pre-K programs, the B-2 Initiative is open to all New York City families. Families interested in enrolling can learn more about participating programs and connect directly with providers regarding available seats and enrollment requirements.
The program's continued funding builds on the Mamdani administration's historic effort to deliver universal child care across New York City, including the roll out of the very first 2-K seats this fall, which will provide full-day, full-year quality child care to 2,000 two-year-olds, and the recent expansion of 3-K seats in communities with the greatest need. This work is supported by a $1.2 billion investment from Governor Kathy Hochul announced on day eight of this administration.
