New York City has begun the 2024-25 school year with 24 new school buildings, including 11,010 new seats.
This marks the most new K-12 seats opened by the city's School Construction Authority since 2003, the city says in a news release. The newly adopted 2025-2029 Capital Plan provides funding for another 33,417 seats.
“Our administration is committed to giving our children a first-class education, and a crucial part of a great education is having access to great facilities,” said Mayor Eric Adams.
The additional capacity in the school system, the nation's largest, will help New York City ease crowding and accommodate projected growth. It also will help the city make progress complying with state legislation requiring smaller class sizes.
New school buildings have been completed in four boroughs: nine in Brooklyn, eight in the Bronx, one in Manhattan, and six in Queens.
The school buildings feature modern classrooms, advanced technology, and versatile learning spaces to ensure that they meet the diverse needs of New York City's student population. They are also constructed with green spaces and environmentally friendly materials that promote sustainability and environmental stewardship.