Administration Opens Most New K-12 Seats in Two Decades
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Public Schools Chancellor David Banks, and New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) President and CEO Nina Kubota today announced the completion and opening of 24 new school buildings, including 11,010 new seats, across the city, each set to welcome students for the first day of the 2024-2025 school year. This marks the most new K-12 seats opened by the SCA since 2003 and comes in addition to over 20,000 student seats previously added over the course of the Adams administration. Additionally, the newly adopted 2025-2029 Capital Plan provides funding for another 33,417 seats. This significant expansion will provide students with state-of-the-art facilities and resources essential for their continued academic success and overall development.
“Our administration is committed to giving our children a first-class education, and a crucial part of a great education is having access to great facilities,” said Mayor Adams. “The 24 new buildings we’re opening ahead of this school year — with the most K-12 seats the city has opened in two decades — will provide 11,000 additional students with seats and set our children and our communities up for success. With modern and flexible spaces, state-of-the-art technology, science labs, music rooms, sensory gyms, and more, these new schools are going to be incredible spaces for students and staff alike, will play a crucial role in fostering a sense of well-being for our children, and will help us build a safer, more affordable, and more livable city.”
“School buildings are the physical representation of the investment we make in our children and our city as we cultivate the next generation of leaders,” said Public Schools Chancellor Banks. "These new buildings will provide 11,000 new classroom seats, creating more space for bright starts and bold futures. We are truly grateful to our partners at SCA and City Hall for standing alongside us in this vital effort to expand opportunities for our students.”
“The SCA's mission has always been to create and maintain safe, nurturing, and inspiring learning environments. These new schools are more than just buildings; they are vibrant, dynamic spaces where young minds can explore, create, and grow,” said SCA President and CEO Kubota. “They also underscore the SCA's dedication to providing equitable access to quality education for all New York City children, highlighting the importance of investing in educational infrastructure as a foundation for student success.”
“Our young people deserve the world — they deserve great teachers, school staff, and mentors, and they deserve state-of-the-art buildings that help them reach their limitless potential,” said Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “The 24 new school buildings — and 11,000 new seats, the most we’ve opened in a single year since 2003 — will give our students the infrastructure they need to be their best. My thanks to the team at SCA for building such incredible new facilities and to the students, parents, teachers, staff, and community members who make our schools the neighborhood gems that they are.”
“Of all the capital development we do in New York City, building schools provides probably the most obvious and immediate improvement for New Yorkers' lives. We are incredibly grateful to be able to deliver 24 schools in 2024, a banner year for school development,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Schools today have to compete with video games and social media — luckily, these are no ordinary schools. With environments and furniture specially designed for kids, welcoming back-of-house spaces for teachers and staff, and even a farm, these buildings support not only kids’ social and emotional growth, but whole ecosystems.”
“Kudos to New York City Public Schools and the SCA for ensuring New York City’s students — including our three- and four-year olds — teachers, and school leaders start the school year off right,” said Deputy Mayor of Strategic Initiatives Ana J. Almanzar. “Hundreds of brand-
New school buildings have been completed in four boroughs, with nine in Brooklyn, eight in the Bronx, one in Manhattan, and six in Queens. With a commitment to fostering an enriching educational environment, the new school buildings feature modern classrooms, advanced technology, and versatile learning spaces to ensure that they meet the diverse needs of New York City's student population. They are also constructed with green spaces and environmentally-friendly materials, promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship. Key features of the new school buildings include:
Innovative Learning Spaces — Classrooms equipped with the latest educational technology, flexible space and furniture, and collaborative workspaces, including:
- Reading and speech resource rooms
- Art and music classrooms
- Science lab and prep rooms
- Special education classrooms
- Libraries
- Gymnasiums and auditoriums
- Medical, guidance counselor, and administrative suites
- Parent and community rooms
- Indoor and outdoor play spaces
- Staff lunch and conference rooms
SCA will continue to invest in creating new seats, not only in areas of current overcrowding and projected growth, but also to help schools comply with state legislation requiring smaller class sizes. SCA will also continue its work promoting healthier school environments, advocating for better health and nutrition, and broadening opportunities for physical education, as well as investing in existing infrastructure to provide better facilities for New York City’s students, teachers, and staff.
As part of SCA’s Public Art for Public Schools Program, 21 new, site-specific pieces of artwork were installed in the new buildings this year by artists Afruz Amighi, Julia Whitney Barnes, Joell Baxter, Joe Bochynski, Chris Bogia, Deborah Czeresko, Dennis Redmoon Darkeem, Delano Dunn, Ghost of a Dream, Taraneh Hemami, Johannah Herr, Wendy Letven, Diana Sofia Lozano, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann, Tijay Mohammed, John O’ Connor, Jason Rohlf, Sarah Sharp, Pranav Sood, Kirsten Kay Thoen, and Marela Zacarias. The pieces were created using a wide range of materials, including hand-blown glass, porcelain enamel, ceramic tile, metal, lenticular and vitreous glass, cast resin, acrylic, powder-coated aluminum and steel, painted and printed glass, c-prints, stone, and found objects. Images are available online.
“I am very proud to be here today alongside Mayor Adams for the unveiling of P.S. 487 — one of the much-needed schools the city has built for our growing population of students,” said New York City Councilmember Rafael Salamanca, Jr. “Here in the South Bronx, we are witnessing unprecedented levels of overcrowding in our school system, with class sizes affecting the great work undertaken by or educators. With a record number of affordable housing units coming into our borough, the necessity for new educational centers to accommodate our community’s needs has grown exponentially. Now, not only will this new elementary school serve as a beacon for countless generations of Bronxites, but the expanded educational amenities will guarantee that Bronx youth will no longer be left behind.”
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