Monday, March 23, 2026, 9:30 a.m. (New York City time), Council Chambers - City Hall
Committee: Committee on Education
The Committee on Education held a fiscal 2027 preliminary budget hearing covering the Department of Education's $38.04 billion budget and the School Construction Authority's $20.97 billion FY2025-2029 capital plan. Chancellor Kumari Samuels testified about the administration's priorities of safety, academic rigor, and integration, and Council Members questioned DOE officials on class size compliance, due process/Carter case costs, special education services, early childhood expansion (2-K and 3-K), paraprofessional pay, procurement and consulting contracts, and school safety staffing. SCA President Nina Kubota discussed capital plan capacity, accessibility, and electrification projects, with extensive questioning on the seat target for class size law compliance and member discretionary project delays. Numerous students, parents, and organization representatives testified in the public portion, calling for baseline funding of programs like restorative justice, the mental health continuum, immigrant family outreach, student success centers, and travel training. No votes were taken.
0:20 For a moment. Has anyone her
0:20 eread any good books recently
0:21 .we got James, who got what do
0:23 you read recently. Yeah. Read
0:29 it or watch the movie, but why
0:32 would you read it with you
0:34 could watch a movie. Okay,
0:40 wrong answer red card, the
0:42 read correct. This is this is
0:43 your this is what we call a
0:45 teachable moment. This is when
0:46 you all say no dinner. Wits
0:49 read the book. Yeah
0:50 . Yeah. And then maybe that
0:52 stuff. Understanding from the
0:53 book that you might not get
0:54 from the movie, so I loved it.
0:58 It was, it was the best. The
0:58 best was when we did, harry. I
0:59 read harry potter with my kids
1:01 and then we watched the movie
1:02 and they're like, but that's
1:03 not always in the book that
1:04 was different in the book how
1:05 . Come. They didn't do tha
1:06 tscene in the book and write
1:09 any other besides, okay, we
1:11 got James. Sorry,
1:14 disqualifying you. Okay?
1:15 Now up to the fun. Tell me
1:17 one year are you live? Are we
1:19 live right now. Okay. Okay. A
1:31 h, okay. I think I think for
1:32 the record, I'm going to start
1:39 over. Good morning. It's
1:41 better the first time and good
1:44 morning and welcome to the
1:46 fiscal 20 27 preliminar
1:48 ybudget hearing for the
1:49 committee on education. My
1:51 name is Eric Dinowitz. The
1:52 education joined today by
1:56 chair Jennifer Gutiérrez of
1:58 the subcommittee on early
2:00 childhood education. This is
2:01 my first budget hearing has
2:03 education, chair, and I'm
2:04 honored to be here, not just
2:05 as a Council Member as a chair
2:06 . But as a proud New York City
2:10 public schools alum and proud
2:12 former public school special
2:15 education will be discussing
2:15 this morning, the department
2:17 of education's 38.0 $4 billion
2:21 fiscal 20 27 budget as
2:24 presented in the preliminary
2:27 financial plan this afternoon
2:27 will also be discussing the
2:29 dewey's capital plan with the
2:31 school construction authority.
2:32 Thank you to everyone present
2:34 here and to those of you who
2:36 are testifying remotely. What
2:37 else? Take a moment to thank
2:39 our teachers, our
2:41 administrators are paris who
2:42 are definitely not watching
2:43 this because they're in the
2:44 classroom and they've been in
2:46 their schools, maybe 2 2 and a
2:49 half hours. So thank you t
2:50 oall of our educators out there
2:51 and I also want to kind of
2:53 take a moment to think about
2:55 why we're here. We are here
2:56 for the kids to make sure that
2:58 our in 38.0 $4 billion wha
3:03 tthose dollars mean it's
3:04 supposed to mean better
3:07 education for our students for
3:08 any student, no matter who
3:10 walks the doors of our
3:11 classroom, and I just want t
3:14 oacknowledge two things this
3:16 morning. The first iso t
3:19 acknowledge that our friend
3:21 dylan contreras, who is an ice
3:23 detention for over 10 month
3:26 shas recently been released and
3:28 is returning to school as a
3:33 reminder this was a kid who
3:35 was doing everything that we
3:37 ask of everyone going to
3:41 school working hard, doing
3:42 right by his family had a job
3:45 taking care of the rest of his
3:48 family and going to his
3:52 regularly scheduled ice
3:54 appointment. Um, and despite
3:55 that was treated wrongly by
3:57 our government and this is
4:00 happening all over, all ove
4:01 rour country and so we are
4:03 thrilled that he's back, he's
4:03 going to be back in school
4:07 back playing uno with all of
4:09 his friends during lunch and
4:11 he's going to finish reading
4:13 frankenstein, which is which
4:14 is the book he's now currently
4:17 reading. Um, I also want to
4:18 recognize thatt I was national
4:21 down syndrome day on Saturday
4:22 and as chair of education, I
4:25 will continue to fight for
4:26 students with down to jim
4:29 every student, no matter their
4:31 age, immigration status,
4:33 disability status because
4:34 everyone who walks the doors
4:36 of our classrooms deserved a
4:37 world class education and it
4:40 serves the care and love that
4:41 all of our children deserve
4:44 the deal has the largest
4:47 budget among City agencies
4:48 around one third of the
4:49 overall fiscal 20 27 budget
4:53 .it also has the largest head
4:55 among City agencies with a
5:00 hundred 40530 budgeted
5:01 positions. 46% Of the entire
5:03 city's budgeted hedged
5:05 headcount. I share this
5:08 committee, I will push hard
5:10 for accountability and
5:11 efficiency to ensure that the
5:13 budget for the largest school
5:14 system in the country actually
5:16 reflects the needs and
5:18 interests of our students and
5:23 our families. The preliminary
5:23 plan includes an additional
5:26 $2.6 billion for the fiscal 2
5:27 027 budget since the plan
5:29 through additional funding for
5:31 early childhood education
5:33 programming district 7
5:33 5classes and summarizing
5:37 ,however, this increase also
5:37 contains large amounts of
5:40 mandated spending areas where
5:41 the City is covering what the
5:42 state has not. This plan
5:45 recognizes the true cost of
5:48 due process cases allowing for
5:51 more oversight and
5:52 transparency, which we hav
5:52 ebeen fighting for as a counsel
5:56 for years. The plane also
5:57 includes the full costs for
5:59 class size implementation
6:01 mandated by state law, along
6:06 with this large funding
6:08 increase comes difficult
6:09 choices while the council
6:11 applauds the administration's
6:13 focus on budget transparenc
6:14 yand providing funding for
6:16 crucial programming for
6:19 schools, the mayor's fiscal
6:20 2027 budget is balanced by
6:22 relying on tapping into the
6:23 rainy day fund this year and
6:26 raising property taxes on
6:27 hardworking New yorkers next
6:32 year. While we are not all
6:32 rallying to address this
6:34 affordability crisis. Well,
6:35 sorry. While we are all
6:37 rallying to address this
6:39 affordability crisis, w
6:40 ebelieve that there is more
6:41 that a City can do to address
6:44 this issue with the growing
6:46 budget and to avoid a budget
6:48 crisis to be sure it's not
6:51 balance on the backs of hard
6:52 working New yorkers, notably
6:56 the City is the only school
6:57 district in the state that
6:59 pays rental assistance t
7:01 ocharter schools located in
7:04 private facilities and is the
7:05 only district dealing with
7:06 such high rates of due process
7:09 cases, both of these concerns
7:11 points issues with our public
7:12 school system not meeting the
7:15 need of all students in this
7:19 City, the high number and
7:19 costs of due process cases
7:21 points to a broken special
7:25 education system where
7:25 students can afford it have to
7:26 sue to receive their main
7:28 dated services and high
7:30 quality special education at a
7:34 private school while this plan
7:35 begins to make investments t
7:36 ohelp our public school
7:37 students with disabilities.
7:40 This is only one small step to
7:42 reconcile for years of
7:45 disinvestment in fiscal 20 27.
7:46 The has bgeteudd $3.7 billion
7:51 to charter schools, including
7:52 both tuition costs and leases
7:56 of this funding 54% comes from
7:59 City tax dollars, while only
8:02 45% is covered by the state.
8:05 It is unclear how the City has
8:06 worked with the seat for
8:08 additional support for charter
8:11 schools beyond charter schools
8:12 . We believe that the City
8:13 should leverage its
8:14 relationship with the state t
8:14 oensure a state budget that
8:17 increases foundation aid
8:19 funding to New York City
8:23 public schools
8:23 . The state budget proposals
8:24 from the assembly and senate
8:25 included additional funding
8:26 for english language learners,
8:29 students experiencing
8:29 homelessness and students
8:30 living in foster care.
8:33 Additionally, the assembly
8:34 proposes funding for class
8:35 size and further funding for
8:37 Eric k. These proposals could
8:38 bring in hundreds of millions
8:40 of dollars for our most
8:45 lnervuable students, the City
8:46 and the do we? We should also
8:46 do more to show support for
8:49 crucial state legislation for
8:51 school bus contracts. The deal
8:52 we recently extended the
8:54 school bus contracts for
8:55 been a recurring issue old
9:01 contracts from the 70s do not
9:04 work for the 21 century,
9:07 especially for students with
9:10 disabilities and students in
9:10 temporary housing who rely on
9:14 this transportation in order
9:14 to fix it, the state must pass
9:17 legislation that includes
9:18 labor protections for school
9:19 bus drivers in any New
9:22 contracts if this legislation
9:23 is not passed this year, it
9:24 will make it very difficult to
9:27 negotiate New contracts before
9:29 the current extension runs out
9:34 . The City spends $15 billion
9:34 more on education than 10
9:37 years ago, but we continue to
9:38 face high chronic absenteeism
9:41 and inequities and test scores
9:42 and graduation rates
9:46 . The City funds a good deal
9:46 of programming that it does
9:47 not have concrete assessments
9:50 for without these assessments
9:51 and evaluations. How do we
9:52 know where these billions of
9:54 dollars really make an impact
9:56 on our students, the dui
9:59 budget relies on contracting,
10:00 which can lead to ballooning
10:02 costs instead of efficiencies,
10:05 the contracting process for
10:06 the is unique and not aligned
10:08 to other City agency
10:11 procurement methods
10:11 . This process is attached t
10:13 omayoral control, which is
10:15 currently being negotiated in
10:16 the state budget with
10:19 addiction, with additional
10:20 oversights on contracts the
10:21 City be able to decreas
10:24 econtract and costs and ensure
10:25 that we are only funding what
10:27 is effective for our students.
10:31 Another critical aspect of the
10:32 budget is the early childhood
10:34 education system
10:35 . Over the last decade do we
10:38 has focused more and more
10:40 resources on early childhood
10:44 education. Do you realize on
10:45 community based organizations
10:47 and other contracted care to
10:48 provide these services to our
10:51 youngest New yorkers. However,
10:53 the deal. We and the
10:55 administration of not publicly
10:57 stated meaningful targets are
10:58 how success will be measured
11:01 with 700 million added for
11:03 early childhood education
11:04 programming and fiscal 20 27
11:07 it is critical that the
11:09 council understand how the do
11:11 we is ensuring that thi
11:12 sfunding is spent appropriately
11:15 in an effort to stabilize the
11:16 system while expanding the
11:18 number of seats for two yea
11:22 rolds. It is the council's
11:23 responsibility to ensure that
11:23 the city's budget is fair,
11:27 transparent and accountable to
11:28 all New yorkers. It is
11:30 essential that the budget we
11:32 adopt this year is also
11:34 reflective of the prioritie
11:35 sand interests of the council
11:37 and of the people that we
11:41 represent. This hearing is a
11:42 vital part of this process,
11:43 and I expect the deal, we will
11:43 be responsive to the questions
11:46 and concerns of council
11:49 members. I look forward t
11:49 oactive engagement with the
11:50 administration over the next
11:51 few months to ensure the
11:52 fiscal 2027 adopted budget
11:55 meets the goals the council
11:56 has set out. Want t
11:59 oacknowledge my colleagues on
12:00 the committee who are present
12:03 Council Member delarosa wang
12:09 doing Joseph Lee and hank's. I
12:12 would also like to thank klaus
12:13 , my chief of staff director
12:19 angeline lawless and grace
12:20 amato, the committee's
12:23 financial analysts alejandro
12:24 carbajal, the committee's
12:26 council, clara rivera and
12:26 katie salon of the committee's
12:32 policy analysts.
12:33 I would like to remin
12:33 deveryone from the public who
12:34 wishes to testify in person
12:35 that you must fill out an
12:37 appearance card, which is
12:38 located on the desk of the
12:40 sergeant at arms in the back
12:41 of the room, please fill out
12:44 the slip. Even if you have
12:45 already registered to testify
12:48 in advance, public testimony
12:49 will begin after both the
12:50 department of education and
12:51 the school construction
12:53 authority have testified when
12:55 you were called. Please limit
12:56 your testimony to two minutes
13:00 whether you are testifying in
13:01 person or on. I'm also going
13:03 to ask my colleagues to limit
13:06 their questions and comments
13:08 to five minutes I will now
13:09 administer the oath to anyone
13:11 testifying from the dui
13:13 .please raise your right han
13:18 dand if you plan to testify
13:19 . Later. Please raise your
13:22 right hand. Do you affirm to
13:23 tell the truth, the whole
13:23 truth and nothing but the
13:24 truth in your testimony before
13:26 this committee and to respond
13:28 honestly to Council Member
13:32 questions. Thank you as a
13:32 reminder to all of our
13:34 witnesses, please state your
13:35 name prior to your testimony
13:43 for the record. Okay. Thank
13:44 you. Begin your testimony,
13:53 kamara samuels. Good morning
13:54 and thank you for inviting me
13:56 to testify on the fiscal year
14:00 20 27 preliminary budget.
14:01 Thank you. Speak german in
14:03 education chair, dinner wits
14:04 and of members of the
14:05 committee on education and
14:08 early childhood chair and
14:10 members of the subcommittee on
14:13 early childhood education. I
14:14 am the New York City public
14:16 schools chancellor kumari
14:19 samuels, and I'm joined by my
14:20 first deputy chancellor daniel
14:23 gente, deputy chancellor
14:25 family partnership and
14:26 community support flavia,
14:27 where your pat guillermo,
14:29 deputy chancellor of early
14:32 childhood, simone hawkins of
14:35 of inclusive and accessible
14:36 learning. Christina foti,
14:40 deputy chancellor of school
14:41 operations. Kevin moran and
14:43 chief financial officer sarita
14:46 scott. I'm honored to serve in
14:47 the mamdani administration and
14:49 to lead the nation's largest
14:53 school district. I look
14:54 forward to discussing the
14:54 fiscal year 20 27 preliminary
14:56 budget as it relates to our
14:59 city's students stuff and
15:01 families for me serving in
15:03 this role is the culmination
15:05 of more than 20 years I've
15:08 devoted 20 years devoted t
15:10 oour schools. I started as a
15:11 New York City teaching fellow
15:11 in the bronx, where I realized
15:15 that education would become my
15:16 life's work and later served
15:18 as a principal deputy
15:19 superintendent and
15:22 superintendent. I'm also a
15:23 proud and parent these
15:26 experiences have shaped my