Silive – New York City has announced that it will commit $500 million in funding for key education programs that were at risk due to budget cuts.

Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said on Friday that the city will make multiple investments in educational programs in the executive budget next week.

The city will protect $514 million in city Department of Education (DOE) programs that were previously supported with temporary federal coronavirus (COVID-19) stimulus funds, including mental health care, career readiness and literacy programs for public school students.

Kim Sweet, executive director of Advocates for Children of New York, stated they hope the city will restore funding for additional important programs at risk — such as the remaining preschool special education supports, restorative justice programs, the Mental Health Continuum, Student Success Centers at 34 high schools, Promise NYC, and immigrant family communications and outreach.

“We appreciate that the City will be restoring $514 million in funding for preschool special education, 3-K, community schools, Learning to Work programs, shelter-based community coordinators serving students experiencing homelessness, school social workers and psychologists, literacy and dyslexia initiatives, bilingual education, and translation services,” said Sweet in a statement.