New York City will add 10,000 free 2-K seats for 2-year-olds starting in fall 2027, including in Flatbush and East Flatbush, neighborhoods at the heart of Brooklyn's Haitian community, The Haitian Times reported. Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Governor Kathy Hochul and Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels announced the expansion on October 19.

The city expects about 12,000 seats across 22 of its 32 school districts. Every district in the Bronx and all of Staten Island will be covered. In Brooklyn, District 17 includes Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Wingate, Flatbush and East Flatbush, and District 19 covers East New York and parts of Canarsie. In Queens, the program reaches Queens Village, Cambria Heights, St. Albans, Laurelton, Rosedale and Jamaica.

The first rollout, in fall 2026, offered about 2,000 seats in five districts and drew more than 5,700 applications. Many seats are expected to be full-day and year-round, in centers and licensed family child care homes. Officials aim to extend 2-K to every district as a step toward universal child care.

The Haitian Times directs families to the city's child care information hub on nyc.gov and to the NYC Public Schools 2-K page for eligibility rules and future application dates. “Today, for 10,000 more families, we have an answer,” Mamdani said.