Mayor Adams pledges continued funding for 3K and UPK
After some uncertainty about the future of free 3K and UPK programs in New York City, Mayor Adams has announced a long-term funding commitment to these early childhood programs, with added support for students with disabilities. The city will invest $167 million, which includes $112 million to ensure free preschool for 3-year-olds and $55 million for preschool special education seats. Adams also pledged to protect federally funded Head Start seats that are at risk under the Trump administration. Adams promised that the investment in 3K and UPK would become a permanent part of the NYC budget. Read more here.
More education investments in Mayor Adams’s budget
The rollout of Mayor Adams’s executive budget has promised more major investments on childcare and early education. His $115.1 budget includes around $18.3 billion for the Education Department, which is $670 million more than this year. In addition to investments in 3K & UPK and universal after-school programs, the budget will also shore up some programs that were set to expire next year, including Project Pivot, an violence prevention initiative in schools. Long-term funding will also be directed towards programs in arts education, computer science, and tutoring. The Mental Health Continuum, which place mental health clinics in NYC schools, will also get $5 million next year. Finally, the budget will provide for extra teacher hiring this year—$150 million’s worht—and $200 million annually in the future.
City to close Crown Heights school and open new “literacy academy” in its place
The city has voted to close M.S. 394, a Pre-K–8 school in Crown Heights with low enrollment and low tests scores, and open a new public school in its place that will serve students with dyslexia and other reading struggles. M.S. 394 will be phased out over the next three years with 2027-2028 as its final school year. The Central Brooklyn Literacy Academy will open in the same building in 2028-2029, initially serve grades 2-3, and eventually up to grade 8. The proposal to close the school has been met with strong community dissent, with parents and even the principal publicly denouncing the city’s closure process. City officials say M.S. 394 is too small, with 41% less students than 5 years ago, and low test scores (23% passing rate for ELA and 27% for Math). Officials also pledged that M.S. 294 students will receive admissions priority, along with students in Districts 13, 16, 23, and 32. Read more here.
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Updated: May 2, 2025.
