When emergency aid from the federal government expired after the pandemic, Mayor Adams directed New York City’s own dollars to keep a number of key education programs afloat for this school year.
Among them was Summer Rising, the city’s popular summer push that combines academics with camp. Another was a major expansion of preschool to the families of 3-year-olds.
On Thursday, Adams announced his plans for the next city budget, including $100 million to keep the summer program going for at least another year. But $112 million allocated for 3-K was left out of his accounting, putting thousands of slots at risk of being rolled back or eliminated by July.
There are nearly 48,000 children in 3-K, budget officials said — plus their parents who rely on the program to stay in the workforce.
Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn), who chairs the finance committee, said that between “affordability” becoming a huge buzzword in recent months and the real issue of working families struggling and even leaving New York City, he was surprised 3-K was left out.
“Early childhood education is an area where you can make — demonstrably make — the city more affordable for working families,” said Brannan. “Seeing that this preliminary budget is silent on investing in 3-K is just, it’s crazy.”
“I don’t know if they forgot to put it in the document, but how do you not invest in 3-K? It’s a proven program.”
Of the $112 million left out of the budget for 3-K, about $92 million of it replaced federal funding, budget officials said.
“What has often been lost is that we inherited an administration where we had real fiscal cliffs from COVID,” Adams told reporters after unveiling his budget proposal. “Some of our youth programs, so many programs that we have fiscal cliffs.”
On top of that potential cut, the preliminary budget omitted tens of millions of dollars for preschool students with disabilities and to extend the hours of select early childhood education sites. Both efforts could be scaled back if the city does not allocate the resources.
In a briefing with reporters, budget officials advised the plan was not final and the administration would continue to work with the City Council to find more resources. But the uncertainty may have a tangible impact on working parents.
“Families need to know if they can count on their child having a 3-K seat in the fall or a preschool special education class,” said Kim Sweet, executive director of Advocates for Children.
Ahead of this school year, Adams and the Council agreed to open 700 preschool special education seats for kids still waiting, but just over 450 have come online so far, according to an audit this week by Comptroller Brad Lander, who is challenging Adams for mayor.
Lander and fellow candidates have made early childhood education a key issue of their platforms. While Adams was briefing elected officials on his budget proposal, Scott Stringer, a former comptroller, formally launched his mayoral campaign Thursday with the release of a child care plan. Others have headlined rallies or unveiled early proposals of their own.
“Parents and would-be parents are deeply confused by the mayor’s lack of prioritization in saving and expanding the beloved 3-K program,” said Rebecca Bailin, executive director of New Yorkers United for Child Care.
“He says he’s making this city the best place in America to raise children and yet he won’t address the main concern of parents that everybody, including candidates running for office, are talking about: child care affordability.”