New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks began his budget testimony to City Council Wednesday by highlighting plans to spend $500 million in city money to save many key programs funded by expiring federal stimulus dollars.

“Including 500 social workers and psychologists, community schools, arts programing, programming for at-risk adults and older youth, [Public Schools Athletic League], students in temporary housing coordinators, translation and interpretation services and bilingual education,” Banks said Wednesday during the Committee on Education and Committee on Higher Education's budget hearing.

What You Need To Know

  • On Wednesday during a City Council hearing, New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks highlighted $500 million the city is investing to make up for some of the federal stimulus money expiring this fall
  • But it won't cover everything — there's a $200 million gap that includes funding for school nurses
  • City Councilmembers also grilled City Hall Wednesday on spending for pre-K and school food

But the money won't be enough to cover everything. The city has not come up with a replacement for $200 million worth of expiring stimulus funding. That includes $65 million being used to pay school nurses.

“And how many schools would be without a full-time nurse if that funding is not maintained?” Brooklyn City Councilman Justin Brannan, the chair of the Committee on Finance, asked.

“So that funding is currently for funding 400 nurses. And we have a nurse in every building. So it could be up to 400 schools impacted,” Emma Vadehra, the city Department of Education chief operating officer, said.

While the city added $92 million to cover expiring federal pre-K funding, the proposed budget still contains a separate city cut of $170 million to pre-K and 3-K. Officials say they could not estimate how many seats that would impact.

“I'm really disappointed that you're all not providing us with direct, simple, straightforward answers to the questions that we're asking of what the impacts would be of your administration's proposed cuts,” Brooklyn Councilman Lincoln Restler said.

The administration had also promised to provide a special education pre-K seat for every child who needed one by last spring. But a year past its own deadline, the Department of Education has fallen far short.

“We have over 700 students waiting for special education seats,” Christina Foti, the Department of Education's chief of special education, said.

While Mayor Eric Adams has been in office for more than three years, Foti pointed to the prior administration's lack of infrastructure for special education pre-K seats as the reason for the delays.

Councilmembers also grilled officials Wednesday about what foods schools will be grilling up for students.

The city initially cut several popular menu items, then celebrated their restoration in March.

But the $25 million being used to restore the food in the current budget is absent from next year's budget.

“We are very invested in making sure all of these food options stay on the menu for students next year. We also know that for food, the city's revenue does depend on meal participation, and we don't know our meal participation for next year,” Vadehra said.