Metro

De Blasio: State funding might not cover after-school plan

Mayor Bill de Blasio celebrated landing significant state funding for city pre-K programs Tuesday, but wouldn’t say whether the new budget will allow him to expand after-school programs for middle grades, as he initially planned.

De Blasio hailed the after-school funding as a “substantial” five-year commitment, but acknowledged that the administration is still trying to determine whether it’s sufficient to cover the annual price tag of $190 million.

“We’re going to come up with ways to figure out . . . how to do it,” he said. “There’s a lot of money there . . . We feel that we’re very well-situated to get a substantial amount of that money.”

Even the pre-K funding de Blasio hailed as a “historic” win for the city leaves a $200 million shortfall over the life of the five-year plan.

City officials did not immediately respond to questions about how they plan to make up the difference.