As Mayor Zohran Mamdani moves ahead with one of the central promises of his administration, expanding free, universal childcare, parts of New York’s private preschool system are becoming more expensive, with providers raising fees and parents facing higher costs outside the new programme.
The changes come alongside a state-backed rollout led with Governor Kathy Hochul, which aims to widen access to childcare but is also intensifying competition for staff and resources across the sector.
