New York City’s public school system has seen a significant increase in funding since 2020, even as enrollment has dropped by nearly 100,000 students during that time. Per-student spending at K-12 Department of Education schools is expected to reach $39,304 in the upcoming fiscal year 2025 budget, a 26.3% increase, equating to $8,185 more per student since 2020. Mayor Eric Adams has proposed a 10.2% increase in city taxpayer funding for the public school system, which would mostly offset the $2.4 billion phase-out of federal pandemic aid given to the DOE. Total DOE spending is projected to be $269 million less than current funding levels but has steadily increased as enrollment has fallen between fiscal years 2020 and 2025.
Total DOE expenditures are expected to reach $39.8 billion in fiscal year 2024, an increase of $5.2 billion or 15.2% since fiscal year 2020. City spending has risen from $19.7 billion to $20.6 billion from 2020 to 2024, while state aid has increased from $12.3 billion to $14.2 billion. Federal funds given to the DOE increased from $2.1 billion in 2020 to $4.6 billion in 2024. Enrollment dropped significantly during the COVID pandemic, with the DOE losing over 100,000 students between fiscal years 2020 and 2023. The city expects an increase of 10,355 K-12 students this year and next due to an influx of migrants, but the DOE still has 94,019 fewer students than before the pandemic.
During a City Council budget hearing, members expressed a desire to increase education spending in the final negotiated budget with City Hall. The Council wants to allocate an additional $170 million for early education pre-K and 3-K programs, beyond what the mayor recommended. Education officials and the Council are waiting for a report that will outline where there is demand for early childhood education seats and where they are not needed. Councilwoman Rita Joseph, who chairs the education committee, raised concerns about the more than $200 million gap in the DOE budget caused by the loss of federal aid that was not replaced by city and state funding. Mayor Adams’ proposed increase in taxpayer funding will help offset this gap and maintain increased spending levels in the public school system.
Overall, the New York City public school system has received a significant increase in funding since 2020, despite a drop in enrollment. Per-student spending is expected to reach $39,304 in the upcoming fiscal year, a 26.3% increase since 2020. Mayor Adams has proposed a 10.2% increase in city taxpayer funding to largely offset the phase-out of federal pandemic aid given to the DOE. Total DOE expenditures are projected to reach $39.8 billion in fiscal year 2024, with significant increases in city, state, and federal funding. Despite a drop in enrollment during the COVID pandemic, the city expects an increase of K-12 students in the coming years. The City Council has expressed a desire to increase education spending, particularly for early education programs, beyond what the mayor recommended. Addressing the gap in the DOE budget caused by the loss of federal aid remains a concern, as education officials and the Council work towards finalizing the budget.
