The earliest educational experiences of children's lives are critical for their development and lay the foundation for their future achievement and well-being. For children from families facing socioeconomic disadvantage, high-quality public preschool (typically referred to as pre-K) is particularly important because of its potential to close educational opportunity gaps. Early childhood programs like preschool are also beneficial for parents because they allow parents to work or pursue education, while ensuring that children are well cared for in an enriching environment.Families in New York City are attuned to the importance of early education in large part due to the emphasis that the city has placed on its full-day universal pre-K program, known as Pre-K for All for four-year-old children. Pre-K for All is one of the largest pre-K programs in the country, serving an average of 70,000 children annually (about 65% of all New York City four-year-olds) prior to 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic tremendously disrupted New Yorkers' lives, and early education programs (including pre-K for All programs) faced difficult challenges during the height of the pandemic and in its wake. The Poverty Tracker surveyed families and their participation in Pre-K programs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
