NYC has really been stepping up its free education game.
Mayor de Blasio announced that he plans on bringing free full-day pre-K to all of the city's 3-year-olds, building on an already successful promise of free pre-K to all 4-year-olds.
The program, "3K for All", will begin this September with the city’s EarlyLearn programs, serving the children of low-income families.
The following September, in 2018, the kids of South Bronx’s District 7 and Ocean Hill/Brownsville’s District 23 will be introduced. The district is home to 2,000 of the poorest city 3-year-olds.
The next districts have yet to be determined but will be added every two years until the program goes citywide in 2021.
$36 million is expected to be spent on the pilot program with a total of $177 million spent by 2021.
Despite the city's federal support being under question, de Blasio has no fear, stating “It’s easy to say in a time of uncertainty stand back, be cautious, be timid. That’s not our way. We believe the time is now.”
[anad]
Not only will the children benefit, but the adults teaching them will as well. 4,500 new jobs are expected to be up for grabs.
There's no question that the "3K for All" program will be an immense benefit to NYC and its children.
[Feature Image Courtesy Politico] [via DNA Info]