Free Childcare to Be Offered to 100,000 NYC Students

Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city are beginning to roll out the timeline for the free child care program, The Learning Bridges Program, to supplement blended learning. The program is for students preschool to 8th grade and aims tp help families manage the hybrid online and in-person schooling, according to AMNY.  There will be 30,000 seats available on Sept. 21 and priority will be given to children of essential workers, homeless students, and children in public housing. The city's goal is to have 70,000 seats by the end of October and 100,000 seats by the end of December.

The city will utilize community centers, libraries, cultural organizations, and "whatever we can find in communities," de Blasio said, to accommodate students while following New York State health guidelines.

Melanie Hartzog, director of the NYC office of management and budget, said that activities will include arts, recreation, tutoring, and field trips "where possible." Personal protective equipment like face coverings and hand sanitizer will be provided by the city and only 15 students will be allowed to be in a classroom at any given time.