By Michael V. Cusenza
City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) on Tuesday ripped City Comptroller Brad Lander regarding a social media post by Lander’s office detailing the decline of enrollment in Big Apple public schools.
“Between 2012 and 2022, overall student enrollment declined by 12 percent, but Black student enrollment declined by 32.5 percent,” Lander wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“Ironic that you post this on National Teachers Day,” Ariola responded to the post. “Maybe if you hadn’t terminated so many great teachers for not taking the COVID-19 shot, public schools might not be in such bad shape. Try supporting your teachers more and indoctrinating less.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, Lander’s office had not replied to Ariola’s tweet.
On Tuesday, the comptroller’s office and New York Appleseed, a nonprofit organization that advocates for integrated schools and communities in New York, released “Intentional and Inclusive School Mergers,” a report that Lander said showcases “a viable, cost-effective solution for New York City that centers diversity, equity, and excellence through inclusive and intentional school mergers.”
According to the report, as the country’s largest public school system, New York City has a broad spectrum that includes severely overcrowded schools with very large class sizes, and schools facing declining enrollment and losses of per pupil funding that can make it difficult to provide a full panoply of resources and services. In order to comply with the State mandate to reduce class size and re-balance the number of students in classrooms, lawmakers and policymakers will need to employ various methods, likely including building new schools and additions, shifting school zone boundaries, altering programming and enrollment, and employing more teachers. Consolidating schools should be among the proposals to reduce class sizes, where it can be rooted in equity rather than a means to perpetuate school segregation, the comptroller and NYA wrote in the report.
Enrollment declines reduce the funding a school receives. Every school receives $225,000 in foundational Fair Student Funding to cover a principal and other core staff, but the number of students (and however many students who live in poverty, temporary housing, have disabilities, or are English Language Learners) determines the rest of the school funding. Schools with more students have far more funds for a wide array of specialist staff and programs (e.g. arts, music, social and emotional learning) that smaller schools cannot afford.
“As one of the most segregated school systems in the country, the New York City Public Schools should take every opportunity to advocate for and advance truly integrated schools. With the new class size mandate, there’s a timely chance to deepen school integration efforts by exploring solutions like intentional and inclusive school mergers. Our report offers the necessary depth and lens for equity to ensure all proposed future school mergers are intentional in prioritizing real integration and actively involve school communities in decision-making, feedback, and engagement,” said Nyah Berg, executive director of New York Appleseed.
“As New York City works to meet the class size mandate, the Department of Education has an opportunity to promote intentional and inclusive school mergers that reduce class size, improve student outcomes, and advance the vision of a less segregated school system,” Lander added.
