The City University of New York (CUNY) has requested $6M from the City Council to train early childhood teachers as Mayor Mamdani plans to expand a new program for 2-year-olds in select neighborhoods and then citywide by 2029-30 school year. This expansion will require increased staffing. The public university system, which lost enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic, is looking to attract more students. Alicia Alvaro, executive vice chancellor and university provost at CUNY, has asked for funding for early childhood workforce development. The university's Early Childhood Professional Development Institute has already launched an apprenticeship program to provide training and job matches.