Statement from Comptroller Brad Lander on Education Dept Readjusting Funding for Students in Shelter Mid-Year

Comptroller Lander released the following statement following the Department of Education’s (DOE) update to the mid-year adjustment to the students in temporary housing (STH) Fair Student Funding (FSF) weight:

“I am pleased to learn that Chancellor Banks has agreed to fully fund schools that welcomed new students from families seeking asylum by extending the enrollment cutoff date for students in temporary housing to October 31—as my office requested in our letter on November 17. This move is crucial for schools serving students experiencing homelessness, including migrant students who face the challenges of learning a new language, adjusting to a new culture, and finding a permanent home.

“A little more than a year ago, our office was the first to sound the alarm on the lack of additional funding from this administration for schools serving newly arrived students from families seeking asylum. Since then, more than 23,000 additional students have arrived in our city and enrolled in NYC Public Schools, contributing to the first increase in school enrollment in eight years.

“Besides the additional nearly $10 million DOE is allocating to schools via the new mid-year adjustment, DOE opened the appeals process to schools throughout the year, which will provide ongoing support to schools helping newly arrived students thrive academically and socially.

“These positive developments will reduce resource disparities—the very ones the new funding weight for Students in Temporary Housing, as part of the Fair Student Funding Formula was designed to address—and foster an inclusive environment for all students, regardless of their background. This additional funding will also demonstrate New York’s commitment to providing a supportive, enriching education that empowers every student, including those who have recently arrived in our city seeking a better future.

“Now, we have to make sure that these kids are not displaced from their schools by the 60-day shelter limits that City Hall plans to impose on their families. Even if the City promises that kids can take buses back to their original schools from new shelter placements, year after year of evidence shows that won’t happen. Families in shelter with kids in public schools nearby must be allowed to remain in those shelters.”