Manhattan’s District 6 Will Be One of First to Get Free 2K Seats
The district encompasses a swath of northern Manhattan that includes neighborhoods such as Washington Heights and Hamilton Heights. It will receive an unspecified chunk of the first 2,000 childcare seats for two-year-olds set to be rolled out this fall.
| 05 Mar 2026 | 05:55
Manhattan’s School District 6 will be one of the first four districts citywide set to receive an influx of free 2K seats this fall, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced. (
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At a March 3 press conference that included Mayor Mamdani (right) and Gov. Kathy Hochul, City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels (center) said the fall rollout was an “initial phase and not a final answer.” (
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced that New York City School District 6, which encompasses a swath of Upper Manhattan neighborhoods, will be among the first four districts citywide to receive free 2-K seats during a fall rollout of a universal program.
Specifically, the district—which includes Washington Heights, Inwood, Hamilton Heights, and some of Manhattanville—will receive an unspecified chunk of the 2,000 initial free seats expected to come online as the program ramps up.
These initial seats will receive funding from a $73 million pot, which is expected to grow to $425 million by next year; NY Governor Kathy Hochul has committed $1.2 billion to such programs.
The free 2K program is supposed to provide seats for 12,000 two-year-old children in New York City by next fall, with the goal of eventually providing a seat to any family who needs one, i.e. universal coverage.
City officials say that District 6, much like the other three districts, was selected for the initial rollout due to “economic need, projected child care demand, existing access gaps, [and] provider capacity and readiness.”
Mamdani said that the initial rollout was “only the beginning of our efforts to deliver universal child care across every corner of the five boroughs.”
“Universal child care will not just provide our kids with the quality education they deserve,” he continued. “It will place at least $20,000 per child back in the pockets of parents across our city, and will make it possible for countless parents to return to the careers they love.”
“This is the first time the State of New York has made such an unprecedented commitment [to] the families and children of the City of New York, and we’re not going backwards,” Gov. Hochul said. “We are committed.”
During his turn at the mic, NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels promised a swift rollout of the program in districts outside of the initial four: “Let me be clear, for families in districts not included in Phase One: ‘We’ll see you soon.’ Now, we know the need is real, and that’s why this is a first phase and not a final answer.”
Mamdani noted that applications for the program would begin this summer. Anybody living within District 6 can apply, regardless of their occupation, income, or immigration status.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal did not attend the presser, but he chimed in with an effusive statement.
“I’m deeply grateful to Mayor Mamdani and Governor Hochul for recognizing the urgent need in Washington Heights and Inwood and selecting School District 6 as one of the first communities to receive 2-K seats,” he said. “For so many Northern Manhattan families, the cost of child care is an overwhelming burden.”
City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who represents the Upper East Side, also provided a statement praising the forthcoming rollout.
“This initial launch of 2-K in neighborhoods across the city is a critical next step toward full universal child care, and I thank Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani for their leadership in moving this forward,” she said. “I have long championed universal child care as essential to making New York more affordable and equitable.”