Applications open for free Queens 2-K seats
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By Ryan Schwach
Southeast and Central Queens parents can now apply to get their kids into the city’s new 2-K program, officials said on Tuesday from the World’s Borough.
Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani celebrated the opening of the applications from the Rockaways on Tuesday, where some of the first 2,000 2-K seats will soon be available.
Applications opened for the first city school districts where the program will pilot, including District 27, which covers Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, Howard Beach and the Rockaways, as well as parts of Lindenwood and Springfield Gardens.
“We stand on the brink of a summer that will feel very different for the families in this area,” said Mamdani from a boardwalk-adjacent playground. “Instead of stressing about how they'll be able to afford childcare come the fall, instead of picking up extra shifts or working overtime, parents can come to this beach with their children without having to worry, as they enjoy the sun, the waves, they'll be able to rest easy, knowing that their kids will be taken care of in high quality childcare programs, and that those programs will be free”
The city’s 2-K program provides free child care for two-year-olds in the city. The program marks a significant step toward full universal childcare in New York City – one of Mamdani’s three main campaign promises.
Hochul and Mamdani announced the program with $1.7 billion of funding in January, just about a week after the mayor took office.
“New York can be that place where we finally focus on the most important priority, and that is our children,” Hochul said.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said Southeast Queens neighborhoods often have scarce access to childcare, healthcare and education.
“For generations, Rockaway residents were born into disinvestment, but we say no more,” he said. “As someone who lived here in my youth, I know what the sting of marginalization and disregard feels like. So, I want to thank the mayor and the governor for making sure families across Rockaway and South Queens are the first to feel the joy of investment.”
“Education is the one true equalizer, and that's especially so when we can start that education as early as possible, the same goes for accessible childcare,” he added. “In the midst of this affordability crisis, that's tens of thousands of dollars that can go back to better-allocated allocations toward housing, food and other necessities for families on this peninsula and across the city.”
Queens families in District 27 can apply for 2-K seats through June 26. Offers will be released in August.
Applications can be submitted through the MySchools, by calling 718-935-2009 or by visiting one of the city’s Family Welcome Centers.
