New Beginnings: Early Childhood Opportunities for NYC's Youngest Immigrants

Описание: Hosted by InsideSchools on November 13, 2025, "New Beginnings: Early Childhood Opportunities for NYC’s Youngest Immigrants," featured an important conversation about the challenges immigrant families face in accessing early childhood programs in New York City.

While 3-K and Pre-K are free to all NYC families, care for infants and toddlers (ages 0–2) is not. Most child care options are private and expensive, and most public programs for low-income New Yorkers have limited spots.

Immigrant families seeking childcare face many obstacles including confusing applications, long waitlists, requirements for extensive documentation, and limited information in their home language.

Compounding this is the Catch-22 all families seeking publicly-funded childcare face: Most programs for 0-2 year-olds require parents to be working, enrolled in school, or actively job-seeking. But without child care, meeting these requirements is nearly impossible.

Moderated by Natasha Quiroga, Director of Education Policy and InsideSchools at the New School’s Center for New York City Affairs, the event featured experts in the field. The discussion highlighted policy efforts that are working, ones that need to change, and efforts underway to improve outcomes.

Speakers

Teresa Council, Cypress Hills Child Care Corporation, Executive Director

Tamara Mair, Senior Director, Program Implementation, Project Open Arms, New York City Public School

Alisalda Coronado, Childcare Educator, Joallys Family Group Daycare Inc., Bronx, New York

Hon. Rita Joseph, Council Member, New York City Council (District 40), and Chair, New York City Council Committee on Education


This event was supported by the Levin Endowment.

InsideSchools is a project of the Center for New York City Affairs at The New School.