Education Quiet since Sep 29 Updated Sep 29, 2026
The 3-K funding crunch
New York City has not sent its usual August advance payments to 3-K and pre-K providers because their contracts are not yet registered, leaving program directors borrowing from friends and taking out credit lines to make September payroll. With school starting Sept. 10, the fight is over whether the city registers contracts and releases funding before providers run out of cash.
The story so far
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Sep 28, 2026 Latest
Gothamist reported that New York City childcare providers say the city's contract rates fall $12.6K short per child.
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Sep 19, 2026
Gothamist reported that New York City's 3-K and pre-K providers said they were finally getting paid after months of delayed contract registrations, but were bracing for renewed payment problems next month.
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Sep 10, 2026
As 2-K launched Sept. 10, some 3-K and pre-K providers still had not been paid, with Gothamist reporting Manhattan provider Kamila Faruki was owed $1.6 million across four centers. Mayor Mamdani said the city had registered more than 500 contracts and issued more than 300 interest-free bridge loans, each turned around within five business days.
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Sep 1, 2026
Mayor Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels committed $43 million to fix 3-K and pre-K contract and payment delays, promising to hire 200 staffers in the Education Department's Division of Early Childhood Education, roughly tripling contract-processing staff, and interest-free bridge loans within five business days of an application, nine days before school starts Sept. 10.
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Aug 29, 2026
Childcare providers described six-figure funding gaps two weeks before the Sept. 10 start of school, with the Education Department and the comptroller's office blaming each other for unregistered 3-K and pre-K contracts. Queens provider Adrienne Bond said she was owed $400,000 and had delayed two staff paychecks, and City & State reported the delay was being pinned on outgoing deputy chancellor Simone Hawkins.
City & State New York - All Content -
Aug 26, 2026
With school starting Sept. 10, New York City had not sent 3-K and pre-K providers their usual August advance payment because their contracts were not yet registered, forcing directors to borrow from friends and take out credit lines to cover September payroll.
Gothamist 
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