New York City has been increasing spending on its public schools despite a decrease in enrollment, with costs per pupil expected to reach $39,304 in Fiscal Year 2025, according to a report from the Citizens Budget Commission. Enrollment in schools run by the Department of Education dropped by about 10% between 2020 and 2023, reaching over $37,000 per student, with a slight increase in 2024 due to additional expenses related to illegal-migrant children. The United Federation of Teachers’ class-size mandate is driving up costs by requiring the hiring of 17,000 more teachers annually, even though many lower-performing schools already meet the standards, resulting in fewer seats available in higher-performing schools.
The situation has drawn comparisons to Crazy Eddie, a television pitchman known for his “INsane” prices that were actually fraudulent. The DOE’s high spending, influenced by mandates from Albany, is resulting in reduced quality, and the City Council is seeking to increase education spending beyond what was negotiated in the final budget with the Adams administration. This additional spending is meant to offset the loss of federal COVID aid, even though the pandemic is over and the need for continued high spending is questionable.
Despite the increase in spending, DOE test scores remain mediocre at best, and there is little evidence that pouring more money into the system will result in improved outcomes. Taxpayers are being asked to pay billions more each year for the same level of academic mediocrity, raising concerns about the sustainability of the current education spending trajectory. The parallels between the DOE’s spending practices and the fraudulent business practices of Crazy Eddie suggest that the system may eventually collapse under the weight of special interests and unsustainable financial commitments.
It is unclear how long the city can continue to sustain its current education spending levels without seeing tangible improvements in student outcomes. The real impact of the continued increase in spending is likely to be felt in the distribution of resources, with fewer seats available in high-performing schools as a result of the class-size mandate. As the DOE struggles to justify its escalating costs and the City Council seeks to further increase spending, taxpayers may soon demand greater accountability for the billions of dollars being poured into the education system each year.
The ongoing reliance on high spending with little evidence of improved outcomes raises questions about the effectiveness and efficiency of the city’s education system. Without clear evidence that increased spending is resulting in better student performance, the continued growth in education spending may be unsustainable in the long term. As the city grapples with budgetary challenges and competing demands for resources, a reevaluation of education spending priorities and practices may be necessary to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used effectively to support student success and improve outcomes for all students in New York City.
