• New York City offers ​t​housands of free 3K seats across all five boroughs, yet in Greenpoint there are only a handful of seats available at ​a couple of school​s.

• Thousands of children under the age of four live in Greenpoint, but local early education capacity has not kept pace with the neighborhood’s rapid growth of young families.

• For many families, childcare in the first three years of a child’s life can cost $​5​0,000 per year, making early education one of the largest financial burdens for parents in the neighborhood.

Despite the clear need, many Greenpoint families still face long waitlists, limited availability, or the possibility of sending their children far outside the neighborhood just to access early childhood education.

My daughter has attended Bunny Hill in Greenpoint since she was just six months old. Through this experience, I’ve seen firsthand how vital strong early childhood education programs are for families in our neighborhood. Local schools create safe, nurturing environments where children can grow and learn. These programs support not only early academic development, but also help children build confidence, social skills, and emotional security during some of the most important years of their lives.

As both a parent and a member of this community, I strongly support expanding access to 3K and Pre-K programs within the Greenpoint area. Over the past several years, Greenpoint has seen a significant increase in young families, yet the number of available 3K and Pre-K seats has not kept pace with that growth. As a result, many parents face uncertainty, long waitlists, or the possibility of sending their children far outside the neighborhood in order to access early education programs.

Expanding 3K and Pre-K availability locally would provide meaningful support to working families while ensuring that young children can benefit from consistent, high-quality early education close to home. It would also allow children who already attend trusted neighborhood early learning centers to continue their educational journeys in familiar, supportive environments where they feel safe and comfortable.

Investing in 3K and Pre-K access in Greenpoint is not just about childcare — it is about strengthening the community and giving young children the foundation they need to thrive. By expanding 3K and Pre-K opportunities and partnering with established early childhood providers in the neighborhood, the Department of Education can help ensure that more Greenpoint families have access to the high-quality early learning environments they deserve.