Asian American students in NYC public schools rises for 1st time in 9 years

New York City’s public school enrollment from prekindergarten to 12th-grade programs saw a slight increase this year, with over 912,000 students, ending an eight-year decline.

Notably, the composition of the student body is changing, with the number of English language learners (16.3%) rising significantly due to an influx of migrant students. Asian American student enrollment (18.7%) is now nearly equal to that of Black students (19.5%), reflecting broader demographic shifts. The city has increased efforts to teach Asian American history, but Asian teachers remain underrepresented. The poverty rate among students has slightly increased, and the number of students identifying as nonbinary has also risen. Despite short-term optimism, long-term projections suggest a significant decline in enrollment due to declining birth rates and migration patterns.