Mayor Mamdani Announces 2-K Rollout: 2,000 Free Seats for Two-Year-Olds This Fall, 12,000 Expected in 2027

Mayor Zohran Mamdani used the June 4 “Talk With The People” livestream to promote the new Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE) public hearings and restated the city’s 2-K child care rollout: 2,000 free seats for two‑year‑olds this fall, scaling toward roughly 12,000 seats next year; parents are directed to myschools.nyc for program and neighborhood details. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto

# What’s happening
– Mayor Mamdani said the city will offer 2,000 free child care seats for two-year-olds this fall. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto
– The city plans to expand the program to about 12,000 seats in the following year. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto
– The Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE) will hold public hearings starting next week. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto

# Why it matters
– Families with two-year-olds in launch neighborhoods gain access to free, city-provided child care seats. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4
– Full-day, full-year seats reduce childcare costs and support parents’ work schedules. Source: https://youtu.be/GqfhtOQxaqU

# Key details
– Services begin in September 2026 with rolling enrollment through the fall. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4
– Initial rollout covers four communities across the city’s school districts (see list below). Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4
– The program is called 2-K (free child care for two-year-olds). Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4
– Governor Kathy Hochul committed initial state funding: about $73 million first year, rising to $425 million next year. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4
– Default program model is full day, full year: 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., 10 hours per day, 260 days per year. Source: https://youtu.be/GqfhtOQxaqU
– Eligibility in phase one requires families to live in the designated school district; access is open regardless of income or immigration status. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4

Mayor, program, and COGE fact blocks (first mentions)

**Zohran Mamdani**
– Role or jurisdiction: Mayor of New York City.
– Action taken or responsibility: Hosted “Talk With The People” livestream; announced COGE hearings and reiterated 2-K rollout.
– Relevant numbers or dates: June 4, 2026 livestream; announced 2,000 seats this fall and scale to 12,000 next year. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto

**2-K (two-year-old child care program)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City program to provide free child care for two-year-olds.
– Action taken or responsibility: Launching initial 2,000 seats in fall 2026; targeting about 12,000 seats in fall 2027 and universality by end of first term.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Services start September 2026; state funding includes ~$73 million first year, ~$425 million next year. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4

**Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE)**
– Role or jurisdiction: Charter revision-style commission reviewing city government efficiency.
– Action taken or responsibility: Holding public hearings next week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) across boroughs; will host ten hearings total.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Public hearings begin the week after June 4, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto

Main article

Mayor Zohran Mamdani promoted the city’s 2-K child care rollout and COGE public hearings during the June 4 “Talk With The People” livestream. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto

On the livestream the mayor said the city will start 2-K this fall with 2,000 free seats for two‑year‑olds and expand to roughly 12,000 seats the following year. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto

The mayor directed families to check myschools.nyc for information on launch neighborhoods and enrollment. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto

Earlier city and state briefings identified the four communities selected for the initial 2,000 seats. Those communities are: School District 6 (Washington Heights, Inwood, Hamilton Heights and parts of Manhattanville); School District 10 (Fordham, Belmont, Norwood, Marble Hill, Morris Heights, Riverdale, Spuyten Duyvil, Van Cortlandt Village and parts of adjoining neighborhoods); School Districts 18 and 23 (Canarsie, Rugby-Remsen Village, Brownsville, Ocean Hill and parts of East Flatbush and Prospect Lefferts Garden); and School District 27 (Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, Howard Beach and the Rockaways). Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4

City officials say services will begin in September 2026 with rolling enrollment to accommodate children who turn two at different times. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4

The city’s default 2-K seat model is full day and full year: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., totaling 10 hours per day and about 260 days a year. Source: https://youtu.be/GqfhtOQxaqU

Program eligibility for phase one requires families to reside in the designated school district for a given seat. City and state briefings state the program is available regardless of income or immigration status. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4

Funding and scale: city and state officials say Governor Kathy Hochul committed state funding that includes roughly $73 million for the program’s first year and about $425 million the next year to support the expansion. Officials describe the overall state-city commitment as part of more than $1.2 billion in early childhood funding. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4

The mayor also used the livestream to promote the Commission on Government Efficiency hearings and to invite public testimony. He said COGE will hold hearings next week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) in Manhattan, the Bronx and Brooklyn, with additional hearings to follow across the five boroughs. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto

Next steps officials described
– The city will begin planning and contracting with participating child care centers and family child care providers in the initial neighborhoods. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4
– Enrollment and provider details will be released in the weeks leading up to September 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4

Sources
– Mayor Mamdani “Talk With The People” livestream, June 4, 2026. Source: https://youtu.be/_O5v2C0mPto
– Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul announcement of first four communities to receive free 2-K seats, March 3, 2026. (external to June 4 meeting) Source: https://youtu.be/J1yv7DpsAo4
– Mayor press conference on 3-K expansion and 2-K model, April 1, 2026. (external to June 4 meeting) Source: https://youtu.be/GqfhtOQxaqU