NYC to expand free preschool program for 3-year-old children

Mayor Bill de Blasio began his morning visiting a daycare center in East Flatbush, Brooklyn.  Starting this fall, early education for three-year-old children will be available in all 32 school districts.

Right now there are about 25,000 children enrolled in 3K programs citywide.  This expansion will add 16,000 more seats bringing the total to around 40,000 students for the next school year.

The 3K programs provide free, full-day early education which officials say are of crucial importance to scores of New York City families.

"I always say when you take the two together, 3K and pre-K, two together two full years of high quality free early childhood education you change the life of a child, you change the trajectory of a family forever," said de Blasio.

Get breaking news alerts in the FOX5NY News app. Download for FREE!

"It couldn't come at a better time, you know as New York City turns the corner on this virus and we wanna get our families back to work what an amazing opportunity for so many of them," said NYC Schools Chancellor Misha Ross Porter.

RELATED: NYC schools to adopt new CDC guidelines, reopen opt-in window