In the face of an escalating surge of immigrant students, several major American school districts, including New York City and Chicago, are grappling with intensified fiscal pressures as they bolster their budgets to accommodate the added demands on public education funds.
Historically, regions in close proximity to the nation’s borders have contended with the challenges of providing education to English-language learners. However, presently, urban centers such as Chicago and New York are contending with the formidable task of mitigating the substantial financial burden linked to supporting the recent wave of asylum-seeking students entering the United States.
Mayor Eric Adams of New York City addressed the pressing issue on Wednesday, emphasizing the city’s unwavering compassion while acknowledging the limitations of available resources.
“The bounds of our compassion may be boundless, but our resources are not,” asserted Adams, adding, “The current trajectory is unsustainable.”
Predominantly, it’s families who form the largest proportion of immigrants necessitating additional support upon their arrival in urban centers. Last week alone, nearly 3,000 asylum seekers entered New York City, as reported by the mayor’s office.
During inquiries about the availability of Spanish teachers in schools, Adams affirmed their presence while conceding that the optimal quantity might be lacking. However, he affirmed the city’s commitment to take decisive measures to address this gap.
Advocating for a collective effort, Adams underscored the significance of bilingual individuals assisting immigrant enrollment in after-school programs. He urged New Yorkers to unite in the face of what he described as a humanitarian crisis.
Concerns from lawmakers beyond the city boundaries are rife, with apprehensions that the imminent influx of students by late summer could potentially strain the education system. State Senator James Tedisco, a Republican, penned a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul last week, urging supplementary funding for schools in upstate New York communities receiving immigrant students.
In response, Hochul highlighted that the state has designated a sum of $34.5 billion for direct school aid, according to Spectrum News 1.
In his letter, Tedisco voiced the necessity for English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers and potential special education services for many of these students. The exact allocation for mentoring incoming immigrant students from the state’s $34.5 billion fund remains unspecified. However, New York City’s equitable student aid model is designed to channel extra funds towards English learners, disabled individuals, and those living in poverty.
Specifically, the expenditure per student for the fiscal year 2023 stands at $31,434, as stated by the New York City Department of Education.
Meanwhile, Chicago Public Schools have taken steps to address the burgeoning challenge by establishing an immigrant center that offers guidance on admissions and other essential services for newcomers. Mayor Brandon Johnson made the announcement in July, as Chicago grapples with accommodating the rising influx of immigrants.
Though student origin is not explicitly asked, the district’s financial records indicate an anticipated increase in the number of students whose primary language isn’t English.
As part of a $51 million supplemental funding provision in the 2024 budget, the district plans to hire 339 “supplemental bilingual education teachers.”
In light of the surge in student enrollment since the previous year, the district’s budgetary documents underscore the need for additional payments to schools to defray escalating expenses.
“The district has observed substantial growth in the number of English learners, much of which transpired after the fall count’s 20th day,” the budget report stated. “To support schools facing an upsurge in English learner enrollment, the district has earmarked $8 million in funds for 86 schools as part of the initial budget.”
Within its 2024 budget, the CPS Office of Language and Cultural Education, overseeing the district’s English Learner Program, affirms its commitment to provide English language instruction and support to 76,000 CPS students with a non-English primary language.
This indicative projection suggests an envisaged increment of 4,000 English learners compared to the 2022-23 school year, during which 72,029 students were instructed in their non-English native languages. English Language Learners are expected to constitute 22.4 percent of the CPS student body in 2022-23.
