More Than Half Of NYC Students Now Under Fully Remote Learning

NEW YORK CITY — Fewer and fewer New York City parents want their children to be part of the city’s ambitious school reopening plan.

Fully remote students now account for 50.2 percent of all enrollment citywide, according to Department of Education numbers released Monday.

Roughly 504,000 students — or their parents for them — opted to attend classes from home during the coronavirus pandemic.

The number started at 305,000 in August, or roughly 30 percent of enrollment. But it ticked up week by week as students left the school system’s blended learning model of alternating in-person and remote learning days.

The steady trickle toward remote learning unfolded as the city prepped and twice-delayed its return to classrooms. Mayor Bill de Blasio last week declared victory — “We did it,” he said — as schools reopened, but it appeared many parents and students were wary of returning amid questions over coronavirus safety and staffing.

He recently blamed the uptick on parental caution and “misinformation.”

“But I think what you're seeing now is parents watching carefully and wanting to see what goes on and then they're going to make their bigger decisions,” he said. “Remember, in just a matter of weeks, parents have the opportunity to opt back in.”