New York's Mid-Hudson region school districts will see some of the largest gains in additional free pre-K seats through funding approved in this year's state budget, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul's office.
More than half of all public school districts in New York now have thousands of newly available universal pre-K, or UPK, spots as part of Hochul's recent $560 million push toward UPK, Hochul announced on Wednesday, Sept. 2.
And while focus has mainly been on expanding pre-K and childcare services in New York City, the rest of the state is set to benefit from the additional funding as well. The state's plan is to ensure statewide UPK by the start of the 2028-2029 school year.
"I'll never stop fighting to lower costs for families — and our historic
investment has already delivered thousands more free pre-K seats statewide, with tens of thousands more in the coming years," Hochul said. "As New York's first mom governor, putting us on the path to statewide universal pre-K was personal for me — and I'm ensuring that we will deliver on that promise."
Here's a closer look at the numbers.
How many free pre-K seats will local school districts have in NY?
Since school districts across the state are still finalizing their enrollment numbers ahead of the 2026-2027 school year, specific seat numbers aren't yet available, the governor's office says. South Huntington School District on Long Island, however, can now guarantee a pre-K seat to every eligible four-year-old in the district.
Hochul's office has provided a regional breakdown of the number of school districts statewide who will be able to offer additional UPK seats. Long Island, the Mid-Hudson region and the western New York region lead the pack with a collective 195 districts of the total 402 districts across the state benefitting from the recent expansion.
- Long Island: 84 districts
- Western New York: 58 districts
- Mid-Hudson: 53 districts
- Capital Region: 45 districts
- Finger Lakes: 42 districts
- Southern Tier: 35 districts
- Mohawk Valley: 29 districts
- Central New York: 28 districts
- North Country: 27 districts
- New York City: 1 district
About 25 of Westchester County's 40 districts currently offer UPK programs, according to previous The Journal News/lohud reporting, and all eight school districts in Rockland and four of six in Putnam also provide UPK.
Most programs rely heavily on state aid so the additional funding comes as a relief for Lower Hudson Valley districts struggling to offer the service because of long-stagnant state aid rates, the previous reporting details. Some have concerns about the additional UPK spots though, including limited space, the cost of staffing, and the added administrative responsibilities that come with overseeing outside agencies.
Emily Barnes covers state government for the USA TODAY Network-New York with a focus on how policy and laws impact New Yorkers' taxes, communities and jobs. Follow her on Instagram or X @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New York reveals how many school districts are adding pre-K seats
