Mayor Eric Adams has backed off cutting millions from a popular summer program that serves more than 100,000 Big Apple students amid ongoing budget negotiations.
“We inherited a fiscal cliff. There were billions of dollars placed in programs … dollars [that] sunsetted in 2024,” Adams said Tuesday.
“Today the co-pilots have landed the plane on some significant aspects of what we want to do around children education.”
Adams announced $20 million to restore Friday sessions and full program hours for middle school students enrolled in the city’s Summer Rising Program — which connects students from K-8 to academic and enrichment activities such as art and sports.
He’d previously said he would keep the education department’s portion of the program’s budget secure but afternoon enrichment programs — funded by the Department of Youth and Community Development — had about $20 million of it’s $149 million contribution cut.
While programming would still run for six weeks — the same amount as last year — the belt tightening measure would mean kids could only access the initiative four days a week with shorter hours.
Tuesday’s investment will mean students receive programming Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Additionally, Adams has agreed to inject $75 million into schools with declining enrollment — which account for 15% of city schools.
Schools hurtling toward budget reductions will now receive the same level of funding they were allocated in the mid-year school budget adjustment, the city confirmed.
Meanwhile, a further $32 million will be invested towards maintaining long-term education department programs that were funded by pandemic-era federal stimulus money, expiring this summer.
Of that, $10 million will go towards teacher recruitment efforts critical to meeting state mandated class size legislation standards.
Restorative Justice programming designed to reduce the reliance on suspensions or punitive discipline in schools will be allocated $6 million of that investment.
And about $5 million is expected to grow digital learning resources as Chancellor David Banks continues the push towards online education.
The remaining $11 million will go towards family engagement resources, tutoring support, computer science education programs and programming to help students develop skills and knowledge related to democracy.
“Today’s announcement to restore funding for critical educational programs, protect school budgets, and preserve youth programs is a positive step forward for our students, families, and schools,” said New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, no relation to Hizzoner.
The announcement comes as part of ongoing budget negotiations with the City Council.
The DOE was facing an overall reduction of roughly $808 million to its operating budget as city funding struggles to cope with expiring federal dollars.
Early childhood was on the chopping block at a sum of $170 million for programs including 3K and $65 million in funding for more than 400 contracted nurses has been slashed.
Adams could still reverse these cuts as he and the council continue to negotiate a budget for the 2025 fiscal year, which begins July 1. They must reach a deal for a final spending plan by June 30.
