Pre-K and 3-K deadline: Mayor Mamdani urges families to apply.

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani visited a Morningside Heights early childhood program and urged families with children turning three or four in 2026 to apply for 3-K and Pre-K by the Feb. 27 deadline; the city says every family that applies by then will receive an offer. Since applications opened Jan. 14, more than 75,000 families have applied and the city is expanding capacity, including a planned 2,000 2-K seats this fall and a new request for providers.

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani visited a Pre-K and 3-K program in Morningside Heights as the city approaches the Feb. 27 application deadline. He emphasized the cost pressures families face and framed Pre-K and 3-K enrollment as a way to reduce those costs. The city opened applications on Jan. 14 and has undertaken a citywide outreach effort to help families learn how to apply. Officials say application offers are guaranteed to families who apply by the deadline and are not awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. What we know: - The application deadline for 3-K and Pre-K is Feb. 27, and the city states every family that applies by that date will receive an offer. - Applications opened Jan. 14, and more than 75,000 families have applied so far. - Families may apply online at myschools.nyc, visit City Family Welcome Centers, or call 718-935-2009; the online application is available in 13 languages. - The administration is conducting multilingual outreach across public kiosks and transit, working with community organizations, faith leaders and shelter staff to reach families. - The city plans to launch 2,000 2-K seats this fall with state funding and has issued a new request for information for 2-K and 3-K providers. - An early childhood center recently opened on the Upper East Side, and city officials say they will review applications to determine where additional seats are needed. Summary: The mayor's visit highlighted the approaching Feb. 27 deadline and the city's ongoing outreach to ensure families know how to apply. City officials report high initial demand and say they will review applications to guide further expansion of 3-K and related early childhood services in the coming months.