The city education department’s top official in charge of early childhood education is leaving her job following years of criticism over the management of pre-K and 3K and the Adams administration’s yet-unfulfilled pledge that every parent who wanted a seat in the popular programs would receive one.

Kara Ahmed, who led early childhood education under Mayor Eric Adams, announced she was leaving Tuesday. Gothamist obtained video of her remarks in a video call, as well as an email sent to colleagues.

“It is with a heart full of emotions that I am announcing my transition,” she wrote. “The work we have accomplished together, all in service to children and in partnership with their families, has created the necessary foundation to stabilize, strengthen, and sustain our early childhood education system. The children, their families, and the educators across this grand portfolio deserve no less.”

Ahmed said she was taking a job “to elevate the importance of early childhood education on a national level.”

Her tenure was rocky from the start. Delayed payments to providers early in the Adams’ administration pushed some to the brink of closure. Subsequent budget cuts to the city’s free 3K program sparked further controversy.

In fall 2022, the teachers union, the United Federation of Teachers, voted “no confidence” in Ahmed’s leadership, though Schools Chancellor David Banks praised her efforts. Banks blamed the dysfunction on former Mayor Bill de Blasio, who he said had expanded early childhood education efforts using federal funds that were drying up.

Over the past year, Adams proposed $170 million in further cuts to early education, sparking more protests from parents and advocates. The fate of 3K became a centerpiece of budget negotiations with the City Council.

In May, about 2,500 parents who had applied to 3K were devastated to receive waitlist letters – even though Adams had promised all applicants would receive a seat. As part of the budget deal last month, Adams pledged additional funding to ensure seats for those families, and restored some – but not all – funding for early childhood programs.

In a statement Banks praised Ahmed.

“I have been consistently impressed by the work happening in our early childhood classrooms across the city; the caliber of teaching and learning is truly incredible, and that is a testament to Dr. Ahmed’s vision and drive,” he wrote. He credited her with reallocating seats in early childhood programs to better meet students’ needs and championed her work on foundational literacy for young children.