New York Education Statistics 2026: Schools, Enrollment & Spending
New York enrolled 2,421,491 K-12 public school students in 2024-25. Federal CCD data reported 4,814 operating public schools, 1,071 operating districts, and 217,522 teacher full-time equivalents in 2023-24.
Public school systems recorded $31,918 in current spending per pupil in fiscal year 2024, the highest amount among the 50 states and District of Columbia. The figures use the latest verified reporting period available for each indicator.
New York Education Snapshot
School-year and fiscal-year figures are labeled separately because the source periods do not align.
Public School Spending Trend
Nominal current spending per pupil increased in each fiscal year from 2021 through 2024.
New York Current Spending per Pupil, FY2021-FY2024
Annual Survey of School System Finances; nominal dollars
Spending rose from $26,571 in FY2021 to $31,918 in FY2024. Current spending excludes capital outlay, debt service, and non-pre-K-12 programs.
Trend analysis
- Current spending increased by $5,347 per pupil, or 20.1%, between FY2021 and FY2024.
- The largest annual movement was a 12.4% increase from FY2021 to FY2022.
- Spending rose by 6.4% from $30,012 in FY2023 to $31,918 in FY2024.
- The series is nominal and is not adjusted for inflation or regional price differences.
FY2024 Spending Comparison
New York, Northeast weighted average, and nationwide average
New York reported $31,918 per pupil, compared with $26,738 across the Northeast and $17,619 nationwide.
Chart analysis
- New York exceeded the nationwide amount by $14,299 per pupil.
- The New York figure was 81.2% above the U.S. average.
- New York exceeded the Northeast weighted average by $5,180, or 19.4%.
- New York ranked first among the 50 states and District of Columbia for this indicator.
New York Public Education Indicator Table
The table combines state enrollment, federal school structure, staffing, and finance indicators without treating them as belonging to one reporting year.
| Indicator | Value | Period | Source | Coverage note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K-12 public enrollment | 2,421,491 | 2024-25 | NYSED SIRS | BEDS Day K-12 count |
| Federal student membership | 2,533,449 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | Pre-K through grade 13 |
| Operating public schools | 4,814 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | Operating at start of school year |
| Operating districts | 1,071 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | Federal LEA definition |
| Teacher full-time equivalents | 217,522 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | Includes pre-K teachers |
| Pupil-teacher ratio | 11.6:1 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | State membership divided by teacher FTE |
| Regular schools | 4,606 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | Primary NCES school type |
| Special education schools | 131 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | Primary NCES school type |
| Career and technical schools | 50 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | Primary NCES school type |
| Alternative education schools | 27 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | Primary NCES school type |
| Charter schools | 343 | 2023-24 | NCES CCD | Charter status overlaps school type |
| Current spending per pupil | $31,918 | FY2024 | U.S. Census Bureau | Nominal current expenditure |
| U.S. spending rank | 1 | FY2024 | U.S. Census Bureau | 50 states and District of Columbia |
Table analysis
- Regular schools accounted for 4,606 of the 4,814 operating schools.
- The federal district count includes LEA types that may differ from the 673 major school districts cited in New York budget documents.
- The NCES membership figure exceeds the NYSED K-12 total because NCES includes prekindergarten and grade 13.
- Charter status overlaps the school-type categories and must not be added to the operating-school total.
- New York reported one teacher FTE for every 11.6 students under the federal state-level calculation.
- Finance statistics use a fiscal year and cannot be assigned directly to the 2024-25 enrollment year.
Enrollment Composition
NYSED reported final 2024-25 K-12 enrollment by race, ethnicity, student group, and grade.
Enrollment by Race and Ethnicity
Student counts from the 2024-25 BEDS Day collection
White students formed the largest reported group, followed by Hispanic or Latino students. The six categories sum to the statewide K-12 total.
Chart analysis
- White enrollment totaled 939,363, or 38.8%.
- Hispanic or Latino enrollment totaled 744,672, or 30.8%.
- Black or African American enrollment totaled 374,392, or 15.5%.
- Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander enrollment totaled 257,714, or 10.6%.
- The two largest categories represented 69.5% of statewide enrollment.
| Race or ethnicity | Students | Share | School year |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 18,122 | 0.7% | 2024-25 |
| Black or African American | 374,392 | 15.5% | 2024-25 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 744,672 | 30.8% | 2024-25 |
| Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | 257,714 | 10.6% | 2024-25 |
| White | 939,363 | 38.8% | 2024-25 |
| Multiracial | 87,228 | 3.6% | 2024-25 |
Table analysis
- The listed categories total exactly 2,421,491 students.
- Hispanic or Latino students outnumbered Black or African American students by 370,280.
- Multiracial enrollment reached 87,228.
- Percentages are calculated from exact counts and rounded to one decimal place.
Selected Student Groups
Student-group categories overlap and therefore must not be added together.
| Student group | Students | Share | School year |
|---|---|---|---|
| English language learners | 280,312 | 11.6% | 2024-25 |
| Students with disabilities | 480,579 | 19.8% | 2024-25 |
| Economically disadvantaged | 1,440,928 | 59.5% | 2024-25 |
| Migrant | 2,388 | 0.1% | 2024-25 |
| Homeless | 155,242 | 6.4% | 2024-25 |
| Foster care | 8,637 | 0.4% | 2024-25 |
| Parent in armed forces | 11,317 | 0.5% | 2024-25 |
Table analysis
- Economically disadvantaged enrollment reached 1,440,928 students.
- Students with disabilities represented about one-fifth of statewide enrollment.
- English language learner enrollment totaled 280,312.
- NYSED identified 155,242 students as homeless in the statewide collection.
- A student may appear in several categories, such as English learner, economically disadvantaged, and homeless.
Enrollment by Grade
Grade counts include ungraded elementary and secondary enrollment.
| Grade | Enrollment | School year |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten, half day | 512 | 2024-25 |
| Kindergarten, full day | 168,833 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 1 | 174,899 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 2 | 177,164 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 3 | 180,751 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 4 | 177,965 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 5 | 181,643 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 6 | 181,372 | 2024-25 |
| Ungraded elementary | 11,877 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 7 | 184,771 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 8 | 186,747 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 9 | 201,279 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 10 | 198,271 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 11 | 188,496 | 2024-25 |
| Grade 12 | 188,259 | 2024-25 |
| Ungraded secondary | 18,652 | 2024-25 |
Table analysis
- Grade 9 was the largest reported grade with 201,279 students.
- Grades 9 and 10 were the only conventional grades exceeding 190,000 students.
- Full-day kindergarten enrolled 168,833 students, while half-day kindergarten enrolled 512.
- Ungraded elementary and secondary categories contained 30,529 students combined.
- All grade rows sum to the statewide K-12 enrollment total.
Spending Data
The Census Bureau measure covers operational current spending for public pre-K-12 systems.
| Fiscal year | NY per pupil | Annual change | Price basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $26,571 | Base year | Nominal |
| 2022 | $29,873 | 12.4% | Nominal |
| 2023 | $30,012 | 0.5% | Nominal |
| 2024 | $31,918 | 6.4% | Nominal |
Table analysis
- The FY2024 figure was the highest value in the four-year series.
- The increase between FY2022 and FY2023 was $139 per pupil.
- The increase between FY2023 and FY2024 was $1,906 per pupil.
- The values exclude construction, land, equipment, and debt-service spending.
- Nominal growth does not measure the change in purchasing power.
| Geography | Per pupil | Difference from NY | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $31,918 | $0 | FY2024 |
| Northeast weighted average | $26,738 | -$5,180 | FY2024 |
| United States | $17,619 | -$14,299 | FY2024 |
Table analysis
- New York was the only state above $31,900 per pupil in FY2024.
- The District of Columbia followed at $31,529, but it is a federal district rather than a state.
- Seven of the nine Northeast states ranked among the ten highest-spending jurisdictions.
- Geographic comparisons are not adjusted for regional wages or prices.
What the New York Data Shows
The indicators describe system scale, enrollment composition, staffing, and reported finance conditions.
Enrollment movement
K-12 enrollment increased by 2,978 students between 2023-24 and 2024-25, a change of about 0.1%.
New York City share
NYC Public Schools reported 946,747 students in 2024-25, equal to about 39.1% of statewide K-12 enrollment.
School definitions
NCES school and district counts follow federal CCD definitions. They may differ from administrative counts published by New York State.
Enrollment definitions
NYSED reports K-12 BEDS Day enrollment. NCES membership includes prekindergarten through grade 13, producing a larger total.
Spending interpretation
Per-pupil spending measures operating expenditure divided by the Census Bureau enrollment base. It is not a measure of total education cost or student outcomes.
Price differences
The published finance ranking uses nominal dollars. Housing, wages, services, and other regional costs are not incorporated into the ranking.
Source and Methodology
Enrollment source
New York State Education Department, 2024-25 Enrollment Data
Final K-12 counts collected through SIRS as of BEDS Day.
School and staffing source
NCES CCD 2023-24 Summary Table 2
Operating schools, districts, student membership, teacher FTE, and pupil-teacher ratio.
School type source
NCES CCD 2023-24 Summary Table 3
Regular, special education, career and technical, alternative, and charter school counts.
Finance source
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finance Data
Final FY2024 school-system revenue and expenditure tables.
Spending comparison
U.S. Census Bureau FY2024 School System Finance Release
State ranking, national amount, and finance definitions released May 7, 2026.
Geographic comparison
FY2024 Current Spending per Pupil by Region
State values and population-weighted regional averages.
Enrollment shares are calculated from exact NYSED counts and rounded to one decimal place. Spending changes are calculated from published Census Bureau values. Dollar figures are nominal. Detail may differ from displayed percentages because of rounding.
The 2026 title identifies the publication edition, not a common data year. Enrollment statistics use school year 2024-25, school and staffing counts use 2023-24, and finance statistics use fiscal year 2024. Current spending excludes capital outlay, debt service, and non-pre-K-12 programs. Rankings describe the selected nominal spending measure only and do not measure school quality, efficiency, student need, or educational outcomes.