Childcare: methods

Pre-registered July 2026, before the program's first data exists. This page states how the 2-K promise will be scored, so the methodology can't bend to the results.

This page tracks whether the promised seats materialize. To apply for a seat, use MySchools (schools.nyc.gov) when applications open; the city's Department of Education (DOE) sets the application dates.

The promise

Free child care for two-year-olds: 2,000 seats opening September 2026 in school districts 6 (Washington Heights and Inwood), 10 (Kingsbridge, Fordham, Riverdale), 18/23 (Canarsie, East Flatbush, Brownsville), and 27 (Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, the Rockaways); 12,000 seats citywide by fall 2027; universal coverage within four years. Source: City of New York and State of New York announcements, March 2026.

Where it stands (September 2026)

2-K opened on September 10, 2026, in all four district groups. The city extended offers to more than 2,000 children in August from over 5,700 applications [City Hall, Aug 4], and the mayor said 2,000 children started on the first day [transcript, Sept 10]. Both are the city's own counts. Seats by district, and seats filled against seats opened, are not published yet. Under the rules below, the 2,000-seat milestone is scored on the end-of-year snapshot; until then the status is too soon to call.

How it will be scored

• Seats opened vs seats promised, by school district and date: 2,000 by September 2026, 12,000 by fall 2027.
• Seats filled vs seats opened once enrollment reporting is available - the measure counts seats families are actually using.
• Need context: seats per 100 two-year-olds by district (American Community Survey (ACS) population estimates), so 12,000 citywide can be read against where the children actually are.

Data sources (to be confirmed at first data)

• DOE/MySchools 2-K enrollment and program-site data.
• City and state seat announcements (counted only when tied to named sites or districts).
• ACS 5-year population under 3 by PUMA/district for the need denominator.

Known limits, stated up front

• Rolling enrollment means fall 2026 counts are moving targets; this measure will score against end-of-calendar-year snapshots.
• If the city does not publish seat-level data, the measure will say so on its face rather than substitute estimates.
• "Universal by 2029" has no official interim milestones beyond 12,000 by fall 2027; only the stated milestones are scored.