New York City Comptroller urges school mergers amid enrollment drop

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine has urged the city administration to begin planning the consolidation of public schools due to a sharp decline in student enrollment. Data from the Department of Education reveals that 219 schools across the five boroughs currently have fewer than 200 students enrolled.

Levine noted that NYC public school enrollment has dropped from over one million students a decade ago to 885,000 this year, with a projected decrease of another 150,000 over the next ten years. He stated that some schools have become so small they are unable to field sports teams, calling the current situation unsustainable.

In addition to declining numbers, the city faces a significant chronic absenteeism crisis. While the citywide average for chronic absenteeism is 33%, specific locations like PS 188 in Coney Island reported rates as high as 60%. The Department of Education indicated it is considering actions for the smallest 25% of schools and intends to hold community meetings to gather input from parents and residents.