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Decline In NYC Public School Enrollment Brings Budget Worries For Educators
By
Jessica Gould
and
Sophia Chang
Published Jan 29, 2021
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Kostas Lymperopoulos/CSM/Shutterstock
By
Jessica Gould
and
Sophia Chang
Published Jan 29, 2021
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The significant drop in enrollment in New York City public schools this year may affect student services and programs, as budgets are subject to state funding changes and school-level clawbacks where there are fewer-than-expected students.
The Department of Education said Wednesday that enrollment in New York City’s public schools this year has declined 4% with about 43,000 students leaving the system. The biggest decreases have been in early education, with 3K enrollment down 8% and pre-K enrollment down 13%. The drop in enrollment mirrors national trends, with the DOE citing the pandemic, declining birth rates, and overall long-term decreases in public school enrollment as factors.
Every year principals have to return funds if their enrollment is less than they expect, though this year some school leaders are saying they need to retain all their funding because of additional pandemic costs such as hiring more substitute teachers.
Even when fewer students have enrolled, holding classes during the pandemic has been costly, said Jessica Flores, president of the Parent Teacher Organization at PS 9 in Prospect Heights. Her school is facing a clawback of at least $250,000 out of their $9 million budget because of an enrollment decline of about 60 students this year out of the 900-person student body.
In a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio this week, Flores said the budget changes were “unconscionable” this year when schools are struggling.
“This is a budget debt incurred solely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing drop in student enrollment being experienced throughout the city. PS 9’s student register has dropped significantly across all grades this year,” she said in the letter. “At the same time, the school has had to spend funds in excess of its budget—including carrying a roster of 20 extra substitute teachers—in order to maintain a safe environment, meet the needs of both blended and remote students, and cover essential school programs required by the DOE.”
“In a good year, they don't have a lot of extra money for enrichment or programs or services for the kids that they need. Our parent organization, we can fundraise and we have a decent fundraising apparatus, but it's not huge,” Flores said in a phone interview. “We can't make up that difference to provide the social services that the kids are going to need.”
The DOE said this adjustment, which happens yearly, helps calibrate budgets to actual needs.
“Schools have until the end of the school year to address their midyear adjustment, as the full amount is based on audited data, and as always, we will work with any school that may need more time” the DOE said in a statement. “The vast majority of schools plan for the mid-year adjustment and have already calculated it into their overall budget. This year, we also provided additional financial support to schools with demonstrated in-person staffing needs, and that support factors in the overall impact of the mid-year adjustment.”
In response to an inquiry about the budget issues at PS 9, DOE spokesperson Katie O'Hanlon said “Schools receiving funding based on their needs, and we are always responsive to any new or changed demands which is why we’ve made record investments directly in schools during this crisis. The entire administration has been clear that the safe reopening of city schools is a priority and we are grateful that we were able to work together to have the resources needed to ensure all students are healthy, engaged and supported.’
One independent analyst said much of the school funding dilemma will depend on what aid is forthcoming from the federal government. President Joe Biden's administration is proposing a stimulus package that would provide $130 billion to schools across the country "for costs such as virus testing, upgrading ventilation systems and hiring staff," according to the New York Times.
“While enrollment certainly factors into New York State’s foundation aid calculations, the uncertainty around future federal funding makes it hard to predict what these enrollment declines might mean for the future of state education aid,” said Sarita Subramanian, supervising analyst at the city's Independent Budget Office. She pointed out that enrollment is only one factor in determining school budgets. The city also calculates funding according to families’ income level and the number of students in special education or learning English.
But education officials are worried. Last spring, instead of supplementing aid for city schools with federal stimulus money, the state supplanted it, using federal funds entirely in place of its own. Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed doing the same thing this year unless there’s a dramatic increase in the federal stimulus. At a hearing on Cuomo's proposed budget with lawmakers on Thursday, Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza said the proposed budget amounts to a $1 billion reduction in funds for education in New York City.
“If balancing the State’s budget on the backs of our students and classrooms—many of whom are also the students in need of the greatest support across New York State—is the agenda of the Executive Proposal, then it is ultimately an agenda that I cannot support,” Carranza testified. “We still have so much work to do to ensure that all school communities and buildings can operate safely for all students and staff and recover from this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. We must not be stifled by a continuation of long-standing underinvestment by the Executive.”
The pandemic has cost the school system $500 million for devices, substitutes and staffing, and personal protective equipment so far, DOE officials said. De Blasio has said he was able to avoid cuts to schools as part of the city budget because the federal government agreed to refund some emergency costs from the spring.
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coronavirus
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Jessica Gould
Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Sophia Chang
Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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