New York City will ease the burden on working parents by providing 100,000 child care slots for youngsters who will only be in their physical schoolrooms two or three days a week under the city's hybrid back-to-school plan, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday.
De Blasio said that for parents who need to report to their workplaces, “the child care will make all the difference in the world. And here’s where the can-do spirit of this city comes in.”
The Democratic mayor announced earlier this month that under coronavirus-safety protocols, most of the city's 1.1 million public school students will be in their physical classrooms only part of the week when school starts in September. Students will learn remotely the rest of the time under the plan, which is subject to approval by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The plan offers a contrast to districts like Los Angeles and San Diego that have announced that no students will be in classrooms when school starts.
De Blasio said City Hall staffers are looking at sites like libraries and community centers to house the new child care programs. He said organizations that already provide after-school care under contract to the city will be asked if they can expand their services.
Details, including the program's cost to the city, were not provided.
