Mayor Adams pitches ‘after-school for all’ as NYC mayoral race heats up

Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday announced plans to dramatically expand New York City’s free after-school for students, echoing an idea from a rival in the mayoral race, which has centered on the city's child care crisis.

Adams said he plans to expand after-school care to 20,000 students in kindergarten through fifth grade over the next three years. The mayor’s executive budget, which is expected to be released in the coming days, will include $331 million for the initiative, bringing total spending on after-school to $755 million, City Hall said. The investment will ramp up in the coming years, with an additional $21 million for 5,000 new seats next fall. The programs will eventually serve 184,000 children in kindergarten through eighth grade, according to officials.

“That’s 184,000 students who will be able to participate in sports, robotics, arts, field trips and more,” Adams said.

The mayor dubbed the policy “After-School for All.” Mayoral candidate and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie has made universal after-school a signature issue of his campaign, and touted his own after-school for all proposal in a five-borough tour last month.

“We know that our kids get into trouble between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m. Let's give them a place to be and let's provide some relief for working families," Myrie said on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show” in January. "This is going to be a centerpiece of our campaign, universal after-school for everyone."

Adams’ announcement follows years of criticism from parents who decried budget cuts to schools and early-childhood education under his administration. The investment will be part of ongoing budget negotiations with the City Council.

Numerous mayoral candidates have framed child care as a key driver of the city’s affordability crisis. Earlier this month, Adams invited former Mayor Bill de Blasio to join him for an announcement that he was restoring funds for the city’s free 3-K program that were set to expire in June.

Other candidates have emphasized expanding free early-childhood education to 2-year-olds.

Myrie’s much more expansive after-school plan seeks to add 110,000 seats from 3-K through high school, with offerings including STEM, sports, music and cultural activities. Myrie has said his plan would cost $400 million a year.

“We are glad Eric Adams has read Zellnor Myrie’s plan to provide free, universal Afterschool for All and full day Pre-K and 3-K until 6 p.m.," Myrie campaign spokesperson Olivia Lapeyrolerie said in a statement. "But he’s a day late and a dollar short. Instead of fighting to make New York City an affordable place raise a family, Eric Adams has spent the past three years playing games about our kid’s education and making it impossible for providers to run their business."

After-school is essential for most working parents, but the city’s public schools offer a patchwork of hundreds of different programs, many of which require a fee. Free programs are usually run by the city's Department of Youth and Community Development, but the number of seats available has decreased since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adams' proposal will go to the City Council, where another rival in the mayoral race, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, will play a leading role in budget negotiations. A balanced budget is due by June 30.

Brigid Bergin contributed reporting.