Topic
Education (K-12)
√ NY Agencies
New York City Department of Education (DOE)
Education is primarily overseen by the New York City Department of Education (DOE). This department is responsible for the city’s public school system, which is the largest in the United States. The DOE handles various aspects of education, including curriculum development, teacher hiring and training, student enrollment, maintenance of school facilities, and implementation of educational policies. Mayor’s Management Report
The Mayor's Office
Mayoral control of the school system, in place since 2002, was recently extended, ensuring the mayor continues to appoint the chancellor and holds a majority of appointments to the primary policy body (the Panel for Educational Policy).
New York State Department of Education
Overall, the relationship between NYSED and NYC schools is one of regulatory oversight and guidance, with the state setting broad policies and standards and the city implementing these within its own public school system.
Panel for Educational Policy (PEP)
The Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) is a 24-member voting body (recently increased from 23), responsible for approving major educational policies and contracts for NYC public schools. The mayor appoints a majority of the members (13), each borough president appoints one, and 5 are selected by Community Education Council presidents. Four of the mayoral appointees must be parents of public school students.
Office of Community Schools
Part of the NYC Department of Education, the Office of Community Schools focuses on the community school strategy, which has been effective in increasing graduation rates and student achievement. They work on integrating health, wellness, and social supports for students and families, as well as providing expanded learning time opportunities.
Board of Education Retirement System
The Board of Education Retirement System primarily manages retirement benefits for educators and other DOE employees. While its main focus is pensions, it also provides some resources related to employment and benefits in the education sector.
√ Reports
2024-25 School Quality Reports
New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) produces several reports to help families understand the quality of their school. These reports draw from multiple sources, including formal school visits; feedback from students, teachers, and parents from the NYC School Survey; and a variety of student achievement measures. There are also Pre-K Quality Snapshots.
Spotlight: School Budget Allocations
This report by the NYC Comptroller offers an in-depth look at how the Department of Education’s budget is allocated to individual schools. It explains the Fair Student Funding mechanism and other sources of funding, giving insight into how resources are distributed and utilized within the school system.
Government Reports on Education
This comprehensive collection includes reports on various aspects of education in NYC, such as bullying, harassment, discrimination, class size, diversity, health data, special education, student transportation, and many others. These reports provide a wide-ranging look at the policies, challenges, and initiatives within the NYC public school system.
Class Size Reports
These reports provide vital information on class sizes across NYC public schools. They are essential for understanding student-teacher ratios and the overall learning environment, impacting educational outcomes and student experiences.
College Readiness - NYC Comptroller
This report examines whether the New York City Department of Education is adequately preparing students for post-secondary institutions. The audit covered the period from September 2015 through March 2022 and included students who were expected to graduate high school by August 2019.
Mayoral Control of New York City Schools
The report, which includes detailed analyses, findings, and recommendations from the public, examines the New York City public school system before and after the 2002 enactment of mayoral control. Additionally, the report summarizes direct feedback from the public—including students, parents, teachers, administrators, and education experts—on their experiences, assessments, and review of mayoral control.
Illustrating the Promise of Community Schools
This report assesses the impact of the New York City Community Schools Initiative (NYC-CS). Launched in 2014, NYC-CS focuses on holistic education reform to address the social consequences of poverty and improve student outcomes. The study examines the initiative’s effects on student attendance, educational attainment, behavior, and school climate among other factors.
"Nation’s Report Card" - NYC Comptroller
This report discusses the academic recovery needs in New York in light of the pandemic. It includes information on federal pandemic relief for education and how these funds have been allocated and used in New York State, highlighting the financial aspects of educational support during the pandemic.
Racial Equity in NYC Public Schools: Where Brown v. Board Still Falls Short
This report focuses on racial equity in NYC public schools, discussing the persistence of segregation and institutional racism. It examines the disparities in funding, access to gifted education programs, and the impact of institutionalized poverty on Black and Latinostudents.
2024-25 School Quality Reports
New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) produces several reports to help families understand the quality of their school. These reports draw from multiple sources, including formal school visits; feedback from students, teachers, and parents from the NYC School Survey; and a variety of student achievement measures. There are also Pre-K Quality Snapshots.
Spotlight: School Budget Allocations
This report by the NYC Comptroller offers an in-depth look at how the Department of Education’s budget is allocated to individual schools. It explains the Fair Student Funding mechanism and other sources of funding, giving insight into how resources are distributed and utilized within the school system.
Government Reports on Education
This comprehensive collection includes reports on various aspects of education in NYC, such as bullying, harassment, discrimination, class size, diversity, health data, special education, student transportation, and many others. These reports provide a wide-ranging look at the policies, challenges, and initiatives within the NYC public school system.
Mayoral Control of New York City Schools
The report, which includes detailed analyses, findings, and recommendations from the public, examines the New York City public school system before and after the 2002 enactment of mayoral control. Additionally, the report summarizes direct feedback from the public—including students, parents, teachers, administrators, and education experts—on their experiences, assessments, and review of mayoral control.
Class Size Reports
These reports provide vital information on class sizes across NYC public schools. They are essential for understanding student-teacher ratios and the overall learning environment, impacting educational outcomes and student experiences.
College Readiness - NYC Comptroller
This report examines whether the New York City Department of Education is adequately preparing students for post-secondary institutions. The audit covered the period from September 2015 through March 2022 and included students who were expected to graduate high school by August 2019.
Illustrating the Promise of Community Schools
This report assesses the impact of the New York City Community Schools Initiative (NYC-CS). Launched in 2014, NYC-CS focuses on holistic education reform to address the social consequences of poverty and improve student outcomes. The study examines the initiative’s effects on student attendance, educational attainment, behavior, and school climate among other factors.
"Nation’s Report Card" - NYC Comptroller
This report discusses the academic recovery needs in New York in light of the pandemic. It includes information on federal pandemic relief for education and how these funds have been allocated and used in New York State, highlighting the financial aspects of educational support during the pandemic.
Racial Equity in NYC Public Schools: Where Brown v. Board Still Falls Short
This report focuses on racial equity in NYC public schools, discussing the persistence of segregation and institutional racism. It examines the disparities in funding, access to gifted education programs, and the impact of institutionalized poverty on Black and Latinostudents.
√ Data sets
Department of Education Budgets FY 2025
Detailed budgets for a range of education programs.
2024-2025 District Data Summaries
Published by the NYC Public Schools these cover: enrollment trends, capacity and overcrowding and demographics (race, poverty, special populations).
DOE Data at a Glance
This resource offers a broad range of statistics on the NYC public school system, including student demographics, graduation and dropout rates, test results, and more. It’s a valuable tool for understanding the overall performance and characteristics of the school system.
Funding Our Schools
This report details the budget for NYC public schools. It breaks down the funding sources, including contributions from New York City, New York State, and the federal government. It also explains how the budget is spent, including allocations for employee benefits, debt payments, charter schools, and school operations.
New York City Open Data
The NYC DOE provides extensive data on public schools in the city, covering aspects like enrollment, demographic breakdown, performance metrics (such as test scores and graduation rates), and school survey results.
Information and Data Overview
This report provides detailed information on test results, graduation rates, demographic snapshots, attendance data, and chronic absenteeism. It also covers the NYC School Survey results and the School Quality Reports, offering insights into various academic and operational aspects of the school system.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
This federal agency collects and analyzes data related to education in the United States, including New York City. Their datasets include information on schools, teachers, finances, and academic performance.
New York State Education Department (NYSED)
NYSED offers data specific to New York State, which includes detailed information on NYC schools. This includes data on student assessment, school accountability, teacher qualifications, and more.
Annual Special Education Data Report - School Year 2024-2025
These reports provide data on students with disabilities, service delivery (IEPs, evaluations) and ompliance and outcomes.
Department of Education School Quality Reports
These reports provide data on school performance, student progress, teacher qualifications, and other factors that impact student achievement. They also include school survey data from parents, students, and teachers.
Education Trust-New York
This organization provides data and analysis on education equity and school performance in New York State, including in New York City. Their reports include data on graduation rates, test scores, and college readiness, as well as analysis of achievement gaps and other disparities.
NYC Schools Open Data Portal
The mission of the NYC Schools Open Data Portal is to make open data regarding public schools in New York available.
√ Data visualizations
Spotlight on NYC Schools
This series offers concise data analyses and visualizations to foster dialogue about education in New York City. Topics include academic engagement and progress in high school, inclusion of students with disabilities in computer science education, racial representation in schools, and the relationship between neighborhood poverty and educational outcomes.
The Education Trust-New York
The Education Trust-New York has created a data tool that allows users to explore school performance across the state of New York, including in New York City. The tool includes data on graduation rates, college readiness, and achievement gaps, among other factors.
Equity Means All, Not Some: Lessons from the Past 20 Years of Education Reform in New York City
This report shares policy recommendations based on analyzing 20 years of existing and new data sets related to New York City schools, combing through news articles and archival materials spanning two mayoral administrations, and reviewing academic research related to educational equity and reform.
New York City School Spending Per Student
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has developed interactive data visualizations illustrating how New York City schools allocate their budgets. These visualizations break down spending into various categories like spending per student, building services, and instructional spending.
Online School Quality Guides
Each NYC public school has a downloadable dashboard summarizing its demographics, performance data, and survey results. Easily compare schools side-by-side to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
College Readiness Audit - Interactive Map
The objective of this NYS Comptroller audit was to determine whether the NYC Department of Education is adequately preparing students for post-secondary institutions.
Non-English Languages Spoken by Residents in NYC from 2015-2019
This tree map uses data from this set on NYC Open Data: Population and Languages of the Limited English Proficient (LEP) Speakers by Community District
IntegrateUSA
IntegrateUSA is a project by MarGrady Research. The project collects, standardizes and visualizes publicly available enrollment data across the US from 2000 to present, providing a demographic overview of school districts, counties, and states, as well as measures of segregation at each level.
WORK IN ED
The data comprises current teaching vacancies from public schools across the country, offering a dynamic snapshot of the teacher job market.
√ STATISTICS
ENROLLMENT NYC Schools
2022-2023, NYSED
Economically Disadvantaged Students
%
2022-2023, NYSED
NYC School Budget
billion, 2022-2023, NYSED
NYC Public School Enrollment (2022-2023)
The total K-12 enrollment in NYC public schools was 937,118 students. The gender distribution was approximately 51% male (482,187 students) and 49% female (454,811 students), with a small number (120) identifying as non-binary. The enrollment by ethnicity was as follows: Hispanic or Latino: 395,200 students (42%). Black or African American: 225,796 students (24%). Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: 155,942 students (17%). White: 131,249 students (14%). American Indian or Alaska Native: 11,139 students (1%). Multiracial: 17,792 students (2%). Source: NYSED
Other Demographic Groups
In the 2022-2023 school year there were 143,080 English Language Learners enrolled. There were 216,651 (23%) students with disabilities and 715,488 students (76%)
were economically disadvantaged. Source: NYSED
were economically disadvantaged. Source: NYSED
Funding
For the 2022-23 school year, the total budget for NYC public schools was $37.6 billion, distributed as follows: 54% from New York City ($20 billion), 36% from New York State ($13 billion) and 10% from Federal government and other sources. Source: NYSED
Budget Allocation
The budget was allocated across various categories: $15.5 billion (41%) for employee benefits, pension, debt payments, state-mandated payments to charter schools, and special education mandates. $22.1 billion (59%) for Early Childhood services, school operations, and K-12 schools & instruction, including over 7,700 food workers, over 8,500 bus drivers, and over 860 custodian engineers. Source: NYSED
ENROLLMENT NYC Schools
2022-2023, NYSED
Economically Disadvantaged Students
%
2022-2023, NYSED
NYC School Budget
billion, 2022-2023, NYSED
NYC Public School Enrollment (2022-2023)
The total K-12 enrollment in NYC public schools was 937,118 students. The gender distribution was approximately 51% male (482,187 students) and 49% female (454,811 students), with a small number (120) identifying as non-binary. The enrollment by ethnicity was as follows: Hispanic or Latino: 395,200 students (42%). Black or African American: 225,796 students (24%). Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: 155,942 students (17%). White: 131,249 students (14%). American Indian or Alaska Native: 11,139 students (1%). Multiracial: 17,792 students (2%). Source: NYSED
Other Demographic Groups
In the 2022-2023 school year there were 143,080 English Language Learners enrolled. There were 216,651 (23%) students with disabilities and 715,488 students (76%) were economically disadvantaged. Source: NYSED
Funding
For the 2022-23 school year, the total budget for NYC public schools was $37.6 billion, distributed as follows: 54% from New York City ($20 billion), 36% from New York State ($13 billion) and 10% from Federal government and other sources. Source: NYSED
Budget Allocation
The budget was allocated across various categories: $15.5 billion (41%) for employee benefits, pension, debt payments, state-mandated payments to charter schools, and special education mandates. $22.1 billion (59%) for Early Childhood services, school operations, and K-12 schools & instruction, including over 7,700 food workers, over 8,500 bus drivers, and over 860 custodian engineers. Source: NYSED
√ Non-Profits
United Way of New York City
Focused on building a more equitable city, their education programs include initiatives like Read & Write + Code, which aims to address children’s literacy and wellness needs and prepare them for civic and economic engagement. Their Books from Birth program has delivered a substantial number of books to families in the South Bronx since 2015
Girls Inc. of New York City
This organization inspires girls to be strong, smart, and bold, offering transformative programs to young women and gender-expansive youth. They operate across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan, serving around 10,000 young people annually. Their focus includes addressing gender, economic, and social barriers.
The Door
This organization provides comprehensive support for New Yorkers aged 12-24. Their services include helping young people with high school/GED diplomas, college enrollment, and obtaining part-time or full-time jobs, among other support services
New York Cares
As the city’s largest volunteer organization, New York Cares supports a wide range of educational initiatives. They work with over 400 schools and non-profits, offering programs like tutoring and career preparation, and have a strong focus on community engagement.
Robin Hood Foundation
Known for its poverty-fighting efforts, the Robin Hood Foundation also focuses on education. Their initiatives include expanding personal tutoring for students, accelerating learning in subjects like math and literacy, and empowering educators with high-quality curriculum and training
√ Experts
Cathy Darling-Hammond - Learning Policy Institute
President of the Learning Policy Institute, known for her research on equity and social justice in education. She is also the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus at Stanford University where she founded the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education.
David Bloomfield - CUNY
David Bloomfield is Professor of Educational Leadership, Law, and Policy at Brooklyn College. Professor Bloomfield specializes in education law, school district management, school reform, and legislative matters.
Eric Nadelstern - Columbia University
Nadelstern is a professor of practice in educational leadership and director of the Principals Academy at Teachers College, Columbia University. A former deputy chancellor of New York City schools, Nadelstern’s “10 Lessons from New York City Schools: What Really Works to Improve Education” shares his insights on educational reform.
Randi Weingarten - AFT
Weingarten is the president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which represents teachers and other school personnel across the country, including in New York City. She has been a strong advocate for improving public education and has worked to promote teacher voice and leadership in education policy.
Dr. Sharon Schwartz - Columbia University
Dr. Schwartz is a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University. Her research focuses on the epidemiology of infectious diseases, particularly in the areas of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections.
√ Journal Articles
"Teacher Incentives and Student Achievement: Evidence from New York City Public Schools"
Roland G. Fryer. As global policy makers and school leaders look for ways to improve student performance, financial incentives programs for teachers have become increasingly popular. This article describes a school-based randomized trial in over 200 New York City public schools designed to better understand the impact of teacher incentives.
"Charter Schools and the Achievement Gap (WINTER 2018)"
On average, charter schools perform at about the same level as traditional public schools. But an overall estimate disguises considerable variation in charter school impacts. Urban charter schools and those serving low-income and minority students, a number of which share a no excuses philosophy, tend to produce the largest gains.
"School Climate and the Impact of Neighborhood Crime on Test Scores"
Does school climate ameliorate or exacerbate the impact of neighborhood violent crime on test scores? Using administrative data from the New York City Department of Education and the New York City Police Department, this study finds that exposure to violence in the residential neighborhood and an unsafe climate at school lead to substantial test score losses in English language arts (ELA).
"Does Small High School Reform Lift Urban Districts? Evidence From New York City"
Research finds that small high schools deliver better outcomes than large high schools for urban students. An important outstanding question is whether this better performance is gained at the expense of losses elsewhere: Does small school reform lift the whole district?
"Rising Inequality in Family Incomes and Children's Educational Outcomes"
Increases in family income inequality in the United States have translated into widening gaps in educational achievement and attainments between children from low- and high-income families. The authors describe the mechanisms that have produced this disturbing trend.
√ Key Issues
School Funding
One of the biggest issues in K-12 education in New York City is school funding. In recent years, there has been a focus on increasing funding for public schools in the city, particularly those in low-income areas, to address disparities in resources and opportunities for students.
Health disparities
Like many urban areas, New York City has significant health disparities, with certain populations experiencing higher rates of disease and poorer health outcomes than others. Epidemiologists have worked to identify and understand these disparities and develop interventions to address them.
Teacher Quality
The quality of teachers is another key issue in K-12 education in New York City. There have been efforts to improve teacher recruitment, training, and retention, particularly in high-needs schools, to ensure that all students have access to effective teachers.
Standardized Testing
Standardized testing has been a controversial issue in K-12 education in New York City and across the country. Critics argue that the emphasis on testing can lead to a narrow curriculum and an overemphasis on test preparation, while supporters argue that testing is necessary to hold schools and teachers accountable for student learning.
School Segregation
New York City has one of the most segregated school systems in the country, with many schools still reflecting patterns of residential segregation. This has led to disparities in resources and opportunities for students, particularly those from low-income and minority backgrounds.
Charter Schools
Charter schools have been a controversial issue in K-12 education in New York City. Supporters argue that charter schools offer innovative approaches to education and provide options for families in low-performing schools, while critics argue that charter schools divert resources from traditional public schools and exacerbate segregation.
√ Social Media Accounts
NYCSchools
This is the official Twitter account of the New York City Department of Education, which provides news, updates, and resources related to K-12 education in the city.
InsideSchools
InsideSchools is a non-profit organization that provides independent reviews and ratings of New York City public schools. Their Twitter account shares news, analysis, and insights on K-12 education in the city, as well as information on individual schools.
NYSEDNews
The official Twitter page of the New York State Education Department.
United Federation of Teachers (UFT)
The union representing NYC’s teachers often shares information relevant to educators in the city.
urbanschoolfood
The Urban School Food Alliance aims to ensure all public school students receive healthy, nutritious meals through socially responsible practices
Last updated April 2026