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Majority Of NYC Public Schoolkids Now Enrolled In Full-Time Remote Learning
By
Sophia Chang
Published Oct 13, 2020
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By
Sophia Chang
Published Oct 13, 2020
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More than half of New York City’s public school students have now abandoned in-person schooling altogether and enrolling in full-time remote learning, according to the city’s Department of Education Tuesday.
As of October 9th, 52% or 503,377 of the city’s schoolkids are in full-time remote learning, a slight increase from the last update the DOE provided on October 2nd that showed that 50% were enrolled in full-time remote learning.
The new enrollment figures come after an especially tumultuous week for public school students, their families, and educators. Both Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered new restrictions after being alarmed by a rise in COVID-19 rates in areas of the city. This included the shuttering of all private, charter and public schools in parts of Brooklyn and Queens and students transitioning to remote learning. But the city and state announced conflicting plans that confused families -- some schools that were closed by de Blasio would not have been affected by Cuomo’s plan.
The DOE said these enrollment figures don't include the students at approximately 124 public schools in Brooklyn and Queens where students moved to full-time remote learning for two weeks after being closed by the city and state.
The increasing enrollment appears to serve as a rebuke of de Blasio’s difficult mission to reopen schools for in-person learning. Schools first reopened on September 21st in New York City, the country’s only large city and school district to offer anything beyond remote learning. Now, as the city’s students move increasingly towards remote learning, other cities are finally reopening schools to students.
By racial group, here is the breakdown of the more than 503,000 students enrolled in remote-learning: 70% of Asians, 50% of Blacks, 50% of Hispanic, and 39% of white students have elected for full-time remote learning.
The data also show widespread enrollment throughout every borough in the city, with 23 of the 34 school districts at 50% or more enrollment in full-time remote learning.
The DOE also noted in its press release on Tuesday that “the window for fully-remote learning students to opt into the blended learning model will soon open and we will communicate more information to families soon.” While any blended learning student can decide to move to fully remote learning at any point, there are four times a year the DOE plans to allow remote learners to re-enroll in blended learning.
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schools reopening
remote learning
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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