Back to School – what you need to know about the new school year in NYC public schools

Thursday, September 7, NYC public school students will return to school. Here is what families need to know from a new reading curriculum, migrant students influx, mindful breathing techniques to a potential bus driver strike:

• The City has been enrolling more than 19,500 migrant children in the school system since last summer which live currently live in temporary housing — most of them asylum seekers. These students are English Language Learners so the City with a shortage of certified bilingual teachers will face various challenges to meet the needs of these children. The City is also trying to distribute theses students to more schools.
• Overall there has been a drop of over 120,000 students in the public school system over the last 5 years so there are plenty of seats available for incoming migrants according to the school chancellor.
• Busses will be working during the first days of school, however a looming bus driver strike could be affecting around 50% of routes in the next weeks. Emergency Metro Cards and taxi reimbursements will be available if a strike happens.
• The Department of Education is rolling out a new reading curriculum with a more phonics-based approach. Each school will have to pick one of 3 curriculums to improve literacy in NYC. Beginning in September, elementary schools in 15 school districts will be required to use one of three programs selected by the education department. By September 2024, all of the city’s roughly 700 elementary schools will be required to use one of the three.
• All students will participate in mindful breathing techniques from Pre-K to 12th Grade for around 2 to 4 minutes daily.
• School budgets in public schools have not been cut overall, however with the drop in enrollment at individual schools there might be mid-year budget cuts if enrollment declined at a certain school
• Around 300 elementary schools will start locking the front door this fall, parents and visitors will have to buzz in during school hours.
• Find the school calendar for the 23/24 school year here.