Guarantee Statewide 3-K and Pre-K
Every 3- and 4-year-old in New York State deserves free preschool - no matter what zip code they live in.
Yet despite promises going back nearly 30 years, New York has failed to deliver truly universal child care. Outside of New York City, the vast majority of families are on their own - spending billions out of pocket, leaving the workforce, or leaving the state entirely.
We're fighting to change that with a statewide 3-K and Pre-K guarantee
Why It Matters
Families Are Left to Their Own Devices: New York families spend $14 billion a year on child care out of pocket. Unless you live in New York City, there is virtually no publicly funded preschool for a 3-year-old — and no guarantee for a 4-year-old, either.
Access Depends on Your Zip Code: Outside NYC, school districts aren’t required to provide publicly-funding pre-K and 3-K, leaving families scrambling. 96% of 3-year-olds and 36% of 4-year-olds can't access free preschool - and about 50 school districts offer no Pre-K at all.
The Funding Model Is Broken: Preschool providers receive roughly $7,000 per child from the state - compared to $36,000 per child for K-12. That gap forces providers to pay poverty wages and leaves programs struggling to survive.
Families Are Leaving: Families are leaving the state and the workforce - parents with kids under 6 are 40% more likely to leave New York State.
The System Fails Kids with Disabilities: Children with disabilities who need special education services aren't getting them because the system meant to serve them is underfunded and overwhelmed.
What We’re Fighting For
A Statewide Guarantee for Pre-K AND 3-K: Every school district in New York must be required to offer free universal 3-K and Pre-K, no exceptions.
Real and Sustainable Funding: Increase per-child funding from to match the true cost of quality preschool. The current rate is a fraction of what we spend on K-12.
Fair Pay for Educators: Establish a statewide pay scale to ensure preschool teachers earn what K-12 teachers earn. A quality system can’t be built on poverty wages.
Investment in Providers: Prioritize workforce development, create on-ramps for home-based providers, and invest in classroom infrastructure — classrooms, facilities, capacity — to make universal access real.
How Much Will It Cost?
A new $2 billion annual investment to guarantee universal statewide Pre-K and 3-K:
$500 million for Pre-K
$1.5 billion for 3-K
One-time investments in classrooms, workforce development, and district capacity
The state could fund this without raising tax rates: In 2025, New York collected $5.6 billion more in revenue than projected from income and business taxes alone
Why It’s a Good Investment
Right now, NY families spend $14 billion a year on child care out of pocket.
Universal Pre-K and 3-K would save families $4.4 billion a year.
The return on investment more than justifies the cost:
Every $1 invested in high-quality Pre-K returns $13 in long-term economic benefits.
A $2 billion investment yields a $26 billion return
How We Fund It for Good
Revenue that is permanent, progressive, and dedicated. Options include:
Increases to capital gains taxes ($12.5B annually)
Corporate taxes ($7B annually)
High-earner income taxes ($20B annually)
What’s Next
Governor Hochul has committed to a path toward universal child care and her budget includes the first steps to make sure that there is enough funding for Pre-K to be universal statewide.
But a commitment isn't a guarantee. There’s no commitment for 3-K and counties can still opt out, leaving tens of thousand of families left out.
In 2026, we need Albany to pass permanent, progressive, dedicated revenue and a Pre-K and 3-K guarantee so every family in New York can count on free preschool for good, not just until the next budget cycle.