Mayor Adams, who has faced sharp criticism over his handling of 3-K, is expected to announce Wednesday that he is backing away from potential cuts to child care in an early budget proposal.
In his revised plan, Adams plans on committing $167 million in annual funding to continue operating 3-K and preschool special education at the same levels next school year. Meanwhile, his administration is eyeing changes to federal Head Start sites in the five boroughs, asking the Trump administration to shift funding toward younger children — a move that could reduce competition with city programs for the same aged kids.
“To truly make New York City the best place to raise a family, we know we must invest in our children’s future,” Adams said in a statement. “Our administration understands what families need, as well as the courage and conviction to do what’s right.”
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Shutterstock Early childhood care (Shutterstock)
For years, Adams — who is facing considerable headwinds in his re-election efforts as an independent candidate — has been embroiled in a bitter battle with the City Council over 3-K funding, which was initially supported by federal pandemic aid that has since expired.
The Council — led by Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is also running for mayor — has maintained that City Hall should follow through on a planned expansion of the program. But Mayor Adams resisted investing new city dollars as 3-K seats sat empty in some neighborhoods, while waitlists proliferated in others.
He also guaranteed a preschool special education program to any family who needs one. While the Adams administration is making progress, that promise has never been fully fulfilled. As of last month, about 600 young children with disabilities were waiting for a seat in a specialized class.
The controversy has left a wide opening for mayoral hopefuls to challenge Adams on his early childhood education record, and the race’s front-runners have seized on it as part of their agendas to make New York City more affordable.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a plan last month to fund over 60,000 new 3-K seats and incentivize businesses to offer child care. Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist Assemblyman, is running on a platform of raising corporate taxes for universal care.
The baselined funding announced Wednesday includes $112 million for 3-K and $55 million for preschool special education, according to City Hall. It does not include additional dollars for evaluations and services, which child disability advocates say are also necessary for a fully functioning special education system.
City Hall could not immediately say on Tuesday afternoon how many more seats they have applied to the federal government for in Early Head Start, which enrolls infants and toddlers, or how many fewer in traditional Head Start preschool programs.
“We’ll be working closely with families to make sure they’re informed about Head Start and all the early childhood education options available to them,” Adams added.
The Trump administration has previously shuttered New York City’s regional Head Start office and thrown the system into disarray by temporarily freezing federal funding. Conservative policymakers in Project 2025 have advocated for defunding the program.
As part of Adams’ announcement, City Hall said it was committed to using city resources to fill any potential funding gaps to Head Start. He previously backfilled a number federally funded pandemic-era education programs with city dollars.
