Students Return to School with AI Ban, Screen-Time Limits and Free 2-K Launch

New York City’s first 2-K class is in session amid payment delays

Roughly 2,000 children started their first day of school on Thursday at New York City's new free child care program for 2-year-olds.

As NYC's free 2-K begins, childcare providers say they're still waiting to get paid

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visits an early childhood program in Brooklyn to encourage New Yorkers to apply for 2-K on Thursday, June 25, 2026 Childcare providers under city contract said they were owed months of pay. [ more › ]

Students return to school with AI ban, screen-time limits and free 2-K launch

Back-to-school day in New York City comes with big changes: a free 2-K program launches, AI is banned for younger students and new screen-time limits take effect.

Mamdani Hires New Early Childhood Education Chief With Free 2-K Program About To Start

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters. With just two days until the start of the new school year and a preschool payment crisis still simmering, Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday named a new leader for the beleaguered office in charge of executing his ambitious childcare agenda. Erica Phillips, a nonprofit leader […]