The UFT is eager to partner with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul to make the promise of universal pre-K and 3-K a reality by expanding seats where they are desperately needed and ensure a successful rollout of the new 2Care program for the city’s youngest children. Mamdani’s 2Care program and Hochul’s two-year investment in it are welcome developments in offering families affordable, safe care. They are also good news for the UFT-represented 8,000 home-based child care providers — provided the programs deliver good working conditions and fair and reliable compensation.

The number of union-represented home-based child care providers has dropped dramatically in recent years, largely due to low payment rates and monthslong delays in city Department of Education payments. Providers must earn higher salaries that recognize their role and value as our children’s first educators, and they must be paid promptly. The state must honor its commitment to rates that are based on enrollment instead of attendance. Rather than be paid using a market rate methodology, providers should be paid based on a model that accurately captures the cost of providing quality care. Other needed changes include a higher special needs rate and differential rates for serving unhoused families and offering nontraditional hours. The city and state must make these improvements and others if they want to successfully augment services and serve all families in a universal system.