Gutiérrez cites benefits of home-language instruction and bilingual pre-K shortage
Gutiérrez says multilingual early childhood education supports cognitive development, cultural identity, and emotional regulation. She cites a 2025 study finding too few bilingual pre-K programs for the city's multilingual learners.
In New York State, the proportion of multilingual young children is higher than the national average of 32%, with approximately 45% of young children ages 0 to 5 in New York identifying as multilingual learners.
Access to multilingual early childhood education serves as a critical cornerstone for both cognitive development and social equity.
Nurturing children's home languages develops their positive sense of self and cultural identity.
It also maintains strong ties with family and community and supports young children's social behavioral
and emotional regulation.
Research shows a clear relationship between the age of exposure to a language and a child's success in learning that language.
Yet, a 2025 study of New York City's pre-kindergarten program found that there are not nearly enough designated bilingual pre-K programs available to support the growing number of multi-language learners.