You are reading

DOE Faces Backlash for Not Releasing School Enrollment and Attendance Numbers

First-grade students at P.S. 377 in Ozone Park (Ed Reed /Mayoral Photography Office)

Oct. 8, 2021 By Allie Griffin

The New York City Department of Education is facing backlash for not releasing public school enrollment and attendance numbers for the school year thus far.

City Council members along with the head of the city’s powerful teachers union criticized the DOE for what they say is a lack of transparency at a council education committee hearing Wednesday.

United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew said he believes the city has the data but has not released the numbers because the DOE is hiding the high levels of students missing class.

He estimated that as many as 180,000 public school children have been out of school this year, according to the New York Post.

“They know how many kids didn’t show up… They are hiding this,” Mulgrew said.

Chair of the Council’s Education Committee Mark Treyger also questioned DOE officials as to why they have not released any raw attendance numbers.

“It is unfathomable to me — and insulting to this committee and to the public — that they will not share the attendance data and information,” he said, according to the Post.

The DOE has posted daily attendance records by the percentage of students in class, but it has not provided the number of students attending class versus the number missing class.

Treyger said the lack of information is creating distrust of the system among parents.

“This should be basic. This should not be controversial,” he said. “The fact that we don’t share how many kids are enrolled in our school system right now is unacceptable to me and, quite frankly, further erodes trust with the public.”

A DOE spokesperson directed a reporter to the attendance percentages when asked to provide the attendance numbers. The spokesperson added that the enrollment numbers will be released at a later date.

The Post reported that the DOE said the figures won’t be finalized until the end of the month.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

The best pumpkin picking patches near New York City

Sep. 7, 2024 By Barbara Russo, Kaitlyn Riggio and New York Family

October is almost here which means it’s that time again to go pumpkin picking. Head to one of these pumpkin picking farms in and near New York City to pick from a variety of gourds, munchkins, and other pumpkins.

South Richmond Hill senior killed after fire breaks out in his illegal basement apartment on Thursday afternoon

A 72-year-old man was killed after a fire engulfed his illegal basement apartment in South Richmond Hill on Thursday afternoon.

The FDNY received a call just after 5 p.m. of a house fire at 94-14 132nd St. Firefighters confirmed the blaze broke out in the basement. The FDNY dispatched 12 units and 60 firefighters and EMS personnel to the scene. Paramedics rescued the 72-year-old victim, and EMS rushed him to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition. He succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead a short while later.

Woman allegedly choked in Queensboro Hill by robber who snatched her bag containing thousands in cash: NYPD

Police from the 109th Precinct in Flushing are looking for a strangler who robbed a 63-year-old woman in Queensboro Hill on the night of Thursday, Aug. 29.

The victim was walking on a residential block near the intersection of Frame Place and Maple Avenue just before midnight, when a stranger approached her and began to choke her. The perpetrator snatched her bag, which contained $6,000 in cash, her wallet and an iPhone.