As New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani champions the cause of universal childcare, some parents are finding themselves shelling out more than ever for private preschool education.

In the heart of the Upper East Side, Manhattan Schoolhouse has significantly increased its tuition, now demanding nearly $4,000 monthly for their 8am to 6pm program. This marks a 20% hike from the previous year.

In response, close to 100 families have banded together, signing a petition to protest this steep price rise. The school’s administration did adjust the tuition slightly, offering a reduction of only $100 for certain families, which has left many parents still dissatisfied.

School representatives attribute the tuition increase to escalating costs in food, insurance, and teacher salaries. They also cite the intensifying competition from Mayor Mamdani’s government-supported childcare initiatives as a contributing factor.

Universal childcare is a key focus for Mamdani, who is expanding the city’s free 3-K and Pre-K programs in collaboration with Governor Kathy Hochul to enhance statewide access.

“Teachers working for the Department of Education earn significantly more, creating a competitive environment,” explained CEO Kamila Faruki in a conversation with the New York Post. “This structure causes us to lose many talented educators, and numerous programs have shut down because they couldn’t sustain themselves.”

‘What it does [mean] is we will have to increase the salaries of our teachers,’ she added, ‘the cost has to go somewhere.’

The daycare centers predominately tailors to children ages three months to five years, making it a pre-preschool option for working parents.

Zohran Mamdani was joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul to announce their joint plan for universal childcare

Mandani’s platform also included free buses, a rent freeze, and building more affordable housing

‘There’s one thing that every family in New York can agree on, the cost of childcare is simply too high,’ Governor Hochul said. 

‘As New York’s first mom Governor, fighting for New York’s families has always been at the core of my agenda. Since taking office, I’ve put families front and center, fighting to make our state more affordable and laying the groundwork to deliver universal childcare.’ 

Free 2-K plans are already in place for some neighborhoods – in March 2026, the office of the mayor announced four communities will receive 2,000+ free childcare seats for two-year-old’s starting this fall. 

That includes school districts in Washington Heights, Rockaway, Fordham, and Canarsie among other areas. The Upper East Side has not yet been given these free childcare seats.

‘Over the past 14 months, a movement was born to fight for a city where every New Yorker could afford a life of dignity and every family could afford to raise their kids. Today, Governor Hochul and I meet that movement as we celebrate our joint commitment to universal child care,’ Mamdani said.

‘This victory represents much more than a triumph of city and state government working in partnership — it is proof that when New Yorkers come together, we can transform the way government serves working families,’ he added.

Mamdani’s other initiatives as New York City mayor include fast and free buses, a freeze on payments for rent-stabilized apartments and city-owned grocery stores in each borough.

Private pre-school costs in New York drastically vary based on neighborhood, age and hours. 

Zohran Mandani is focusing on creating a Pre-K and 3-K program as mayor of New York City 

Data provided by Care.com estimates infant full-day childcare costs on average $3,177.20 per month, not including upfront safety deposits or added fees for late pickup. 

For Manhattan Schoolhouse, there is a $100 non-refundable application fee to ‘secure a spot on the waitlist.’

One parent near Park Slope paid $2835 for tuition, plus $270 per month for a ‘meal plan’ consisting of breakfast, lunch and two snacks. 

Another Brooklyn parent was quoted $3,400 a month for full-day daycare. Other families opt for a babysitter or nanny as pre-school and daycare costs continue to rise.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Mandani’s office for a comment.