NYC Increases Financing for Public Schools as 6,000+ Migrant Children Enroll

With an estimated 6,000 migrant children enrolling in the system this school year, New York City is increasing funds for those public schools that are seeing a massive influx of new students.

At a news conference on Tuesday, October 18, officials from the Department of Education, including Chancellor David Banks, said that cash was on the way to several schools that were having trouble keeping up with the rising enrollment.

While at P.S. 16 in The Bronx, which is hosting a large number of migrant children, Chancellor Banks said, “We’re quickly providing more funding to allow schools to step up.”

Nathaniel Styer, the press secretary for the DOE, subsequently added in a tweet, “We’ve provided $25 million directly to schools in response to new students enrolling, and there is more to come.”

On Monday, October 31st, the DOE announced an additional $12 million investment across selected schools experiencing the increase of enrollment.

School budgets are normally adjusted in the fall when enrollment is finalized on Oct. 31 to allow more money to be given to schools serving more children than projected and withdraw money from those enrolling fewer children.

The additional funding allows schools to offer “curricular and instructional support for multilingual learners, as well as family support and necessary purchases.” In the DOE press release, Mayor Eric Adams said, “New York has always been a welcoming place for those seeking a better life in this country. As we see an increase of families seeking asylum in our city, we are working to ensure every student has the resources they need to thrive.”

Chancellor Banks, in the press release, said, “Each one of our kids, whether born in the boroughs or just arrived, deserves every resource we can provide, which is why I am thrilled to be announcing this additional funding today.”

Banks continued, “Schools are the centers of our communities, and through these funds, we will ensure that our schools are fully equipped to provide the academic, emotional, and social needs of our newest New Yorkers. This allocation, alongside the work being done through Project Open Arms, will make sure our new students are able to continue their education without delay and families can know their children are being supported and cared for in the classroom.”

Numerous school-aged children among the tens of thousands of migrants, who have been bused into Manhattan since the spring, have been welcomed by the city.