Mayor Bill de Blasio Announces Free Childcare for 100,000 NYC Students

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced yesterday that NYC will provide free childcare for 100,000 students on the days they are not learning in classrooms to help families manage the hybrid online and in-person schooling in the fall, according to AMNY. 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.

Some daycare slots will be available by the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, according to Melanie Hartzog, director of the NYC office of management and budget, with more slots to be made available on a rolling basis. She also 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.

According to a Department of Education survey of approximately 400,000 NYC parents, 75 percent of families want schools to reopen in September and are willing to send their children to classes in person. However, with regard for the risks sending kids back to school in person can pose and in accordance to CDC recommendations, de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza announced the options of two "blended learning" models for schools earlier this month.