Chancellor Banks’ Statement on Impact of Enrollment Changes on Budget

NEW YORK – New York City Schools Chancellor David C. Banks today released the following statement on the impact of enrollment changes on school budgets:

“Our Administration has been clear from the beginning – we are going to do what is best for young people at every turn. The majority of a school’s funding is tied to enrollment, and over the past two years we’ve been able to shield schools from a decrease in funding due to federal aid. That aid ends in two years and we owe it to our current and future students not to impose steep, drastic reductions in funding when it runs out. We are supporting schools in this transition by cushioning the impact on schools both this year and next year using the remainder of federal funds, while keeping every school at 100% of Fair Student Funding as promised.

The Mayor and I have been crystal clear and transparent about the enrollment challenges that our schools are confronting. In our first six months we met the real needs of students and parents by keeping schools open and safe, instituting an evidence-based literacy curricula, creating an AAPI curriculum, reimagining gifted and talented programs, and including parents in the hiring of superintendents for the first time – all measures meant to listen to our families and be appropriately responsive.”