New York City’s free two-year-old childcare program opened with high demand and a rocky rollout

When Zaire Wells’s daughter was selected for a free childcare slot, it felt like the two-year-old “got into Harvard.”

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani proposed free childcare for two-year-olds in his affordability-focused campaign. In March, he announced that it would launch with 2,000 seats in a handful of communities selected for economic need and childcare demand.

Wells, a high school teacher, lives in one of the targeted areas. After a five-minute online application back in June, she and her partner were now tearfully dropping off their daughter for her first day at a Friends of Crown Heights center in Brooklyn. The family posed for pictures with a staged first-day backdrop, the two-year-old curiously examining her new surroundings.

Wells’ Harvard comparison was apt: Lisa Joseph-Mayers, who works with families in the center, said the program received 339 applications for 12 slots. That’s a 3.5% acceptance rate; Harvard accepted 4.2% for the class of 2029. At least two parents called during school drop-off to see if they could snag a seat, and were told that the program was full.

Jessica Arroyo is relieved she won’t have to worry about childcare during work.
Paola Chapdelaine for BI

A big “cheese” for the first day of school.
Paola Chapdelaine for BI

“It’s going to be like that for the rest of the week,” Joseph-Mayers said.

Since students with siblings already in the center were given preference, Joseph-Mayers said, some families claimed distant family connections to try to finagle a spot.

The city has said that more than 5,700 applications were submitted for around 2,000 available seats. The popularity of the new program has become a double-edged sword, as some centers were reportedly left without the necessary funding to open, and others scrambled to determine whether they could secure bridge loans in time for the first day. For a program intended to expand sixfold by next year, it highlights a set of growing pains that are currently falling on providers. When asked about the funding delays, the city cited previous remarks by the mayor and Gov. Kathy Hochul.

“I think it’s critically important that we both address longstanding issues in our New York City public school system and advance an agenda that makes it more affordable for families to stay in this city,” Mamdani said at a September 10 press conference.

Friends of Crown Heights hasn’t encountered those issues, according to Tanya McDougal, the site’s educational director; they’d previously had a two-year-old classroom, and reopening it was relatively seamless.

Jessica Arroyo, who was dropping off her daughter, said it meant “everything” to be accepted into the program. The program’s hours, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., were particularly appealing to Arroyo, who works in registration at a hospital.

“I can work in peace,” Arroyo said. “She can learn, make new friends.”

For Mercy and Fabian Best, who were dropping off their daughter — complete with a photo sign indicating it was her first day — the slot offered financial relief. The money they’re saving on their two-year-old’s care — on average, infant and toddler care costs in the city can top $20,000 annually — means they can put more toward their older child’s extracurriculars at public school.

“New York City is very expensive, and one less thing you have to worry about — while receiving quality education — helps us in the long run,” Fabian said.

The two-year-olds hadn’t received the message that they were part of New York City childcare history: Parents tried to wrangle their children for a photo — there were a lot of “big emotions” among the students, including crying, sleepiness, and the desire to start dancing.

One mom was excited and nervous to drop off her son.
Paola Chapdelaine for BI

Dinosaurs made an appearance.
Paola Chapdelaine for BI

Within fifteen or so minutes, though, the two-year-olds had gotten to work in their classroom. One was using a toy broom to sweep up the room, another was organizing the play kitchen, and — like good New Yorkers — several were yelling “pizza!” as they played with fake plastic slices. There was also a brief toy car traffic jam, as well as some serious xylophone playing.

When I asked Journey, Arroyo’s daughter, what she wanted to do that day, her answer was simple: “Move.” That wish came true when Ms. Lisa later played her some toddler tunes; Journey busted out a whole little dance, happy to jam with her new friends.