The Next Mayor’s Priorities: Free Preschool and Affordable Childcare
Families Suffering from Skyrocketing Childcare Costs
Families across New York City are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of living. Even before the 2024 election, hundreds of thousands of families have voted with their feet, leading to the largest decline in the city’s under-20 population in a decade. This exodus is a damning indictment of the failed economic record of the Adams administration.
Childcare Costs Out of Control
Child care costs are out of control. Parents are spending up to an estimated $28,000 annually per child on childcare—and that’s assuming they can even find a childcare spot. Put differently, a family earning the median for households with children will have to fork over as much as 43% of their income on childcare for an infant and a toddler. Thousands of kids are being denied the opportunity to attend prekindergarten, jeopardizing their educational and economic futures and forcing parents out of the workforce.
Gutting of Education Funding
As Democrats in Congress have fought to make preschool free for 3- and 4-year-olds and reduce the cost of childcare to less than 7% of family income, the city of New York gutted hundreds of millions of dollars of education funding and reneged on the mission of universal early childhood education. Only when educators, students, and parents rallied to oppose the cuts did Adams restore some funding. But the damage has already been done. New York is becoming a place hostile to children.
A Better Way Forward
We need a mayor ready to do everything in their power to make New York City the best place in the world to raise a family. The greatness of New York lies in our people and public goods: schools, libraries, parks, and museums. Instead of imposing ruthless cuts, we need to invest in the programs and infrastructure that makes our city livable, joyful, and safer. That starts with our youngest residents.
Free, Universal Preschool and Affordable Childcare
The next mayor’s top two priorities should be implementing free, universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds and expanding access to affordable childcare to substantially lower costs. By bringing together parents, educators, community organizations, businesses, and relevant stakeholders, we can efficiently ramp up childcare supply, raise wages and benefits to recruit and retain staff, and integrate early childhood education with the K-12 school system.
Conclusion
We know that schools are the anchor of our communities and serve as a communal space to address the diverse needs of children and families. Congress, with the support of the Biden administration, has made historic investments in community schools. We should build on that progress by implementing health and social supports in schools, putting a washer and dryer in every school, and making after-school and summer programs free and universal. Every child should have a safe, nurturing place to be during non-school hours. That includes keeping schools, recreation centers, libraries, and other facilities open for extended-day programming.
FAQs
Q: What are the current childcare costs for families in New York City?
A: Parents are spending up to an estimated $28,000 annually per child on childcare.
Q: What is the impact of childcare costs on families?
A: Childcare costs are forcing parents out of the workforce and jeopardizing the educational and economic futures of thousands of kids.
Q: What is the current state of education funding in New York City?
A: The city gutted hundreds of millions of dollars of education funding, reneging on the mission of universal early childhood education.
Q: What are the top priorities for the next mayor of New York City?
A: Implementing free, universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds and expanding access to affordable childcare to substantially lower costs.
