Every 4-year-old in New York gets a free pre-K seat by fall 2028

New York is phasing in free, full-day pre-K for all eligible 4-year-olds. State Sen. Shelley Mayer, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, said she had fought for decades to expand access to early childhood education, while Assemblymember Amy Paulin said she had advocated for universal pre-K for more than a decade. Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed the statewide guarantee in January 2026, and the Legislature enacted it in the budget bill she signed on May 28. By the 2028–29 school year, every district must serve every eligible child whose parent or guardian applies. Districts may run classes themselves or work with BOCES or another eligible provider, so families apply through their district but a partner may provide the seat. Eligibility is not limited by family income.

For 2026–27, the budget increased annual Universal Prekindergarten aid by $563 million and raised the minimum state payment to $10,000 per 4-year-old or the district’s Foundation Aid amount, whichever is higher. By September, the state said thousands of new seats were online and projected that 402 public school districts would add seats. The state budget office said higher personal-income-tax forecasts were enough to fund the proposed child care expansion. The final budget also kept the 7.25 percent corporate franchise tax rate for businesses with more than $5 million in income through 2029.