New York City’s 3-K for All Supports Mothers’ Labor Force Participation

New York City’s 3-K for All program was first introduced to a few districts beginning in 2017 and was gradually made available to all districts by 2021. The rollout prioritized the highest-need districts for prekindergarten services. This report focuses on the role of New York City’s 3-K in supporting mothers’ labor force participation and employment.

Using data from the Early Childhood Poverty Tracker, which repeatedly surveyed the same New York City families with young children from 2017 to 2021, the report investigates whether 3-K availability was associated with increased labor force participation and employment among mothers of preschool-age children in New York City.

Key Findings

• Evidence from the Early Childhood Poverty Tracker suggests that availability of 3-K for All supported mothers’ labor force participation. After children became age-eligible for 3-K for All, mothers who lived in districts with higher 3-K availability were more likely to be in the labor force than those who lived in districts with lower 3-K availability.

• Mothers with greater 3-K availability also had higher rates of full-time employment.

• Even after the 3-K year, mothers with more access to 3-K had higher rates of labor force participation and full-time employment.