NYC proposes closing 2 tiny Harlem schools and moving popular Upper West Side middle school
Did you know search engines like Google are changing the way you see news? Keep Chalkbeat’s valuable education coverage at the top of your feeds by clicking here and checking the box next to our name. Education officials are proposing to shutter two of New York City’s smallest schools, the first formal closure plans this academic year as Mayor Zohran Mamdani grapples with a growing number of…
New York City officials are proposing to close two of the city's smallest schools and relocate a popular Upper West Side middle school to address overcrowding. The Urban Assembly School for Global Commerce, a high school in Harlem, and School of Earth Exploration and Discovery Harlem, a middle school, would close at the end of the current academic year.
Both schools have seen significant drops in enrollment, with the middle school serving only 40 students and the high school enrolling just 112 students. The Center School, an Upper West Side school serving grades 5-8, will be moved to a new campus 1.5 miles away to alleviate overcrowding and reduce class sizes. The decision to close and relocate schools comes as the city grapples with a decline in K-12 enrollment, which has dropped by about 19% over the past 12 years.
Chancellor Kamar Samuels has emphasized the importance of addressing small campuses to reduce costs and expand academic offerings. However, the proposals have not yet been formally voted on by the Panel for Educational Policy.
Written by urgent.news from Chalkbeat's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
