Yonkers Public Schools say last-minute registration caused delay in classroom placements

Just over 100 students who registered for enrollment at Yonkers Public Schools have not yet been assigned a classroom for the new school year, but officials say most of these students are new to the district and registered just days before the start of classes.

Reports of nearly 400 students still home and waiting for a classroom caused a stir across the city. Akeem Jamal, spokesperson for Yonkers Public Schools, said a surprise influx of new families in the district, at all grade levels, caused a backlog of new student registrations. Many of the new students have special needs, which complicates placement, he said.

He said most families registered within a week, in some cases just days, before the first day of classes on Sept. 3. Jamal said the deadline for enrollment is Aug. 1, which allows the district time to process registrations before school starts.

"The process can take a long time because many of these children have individual educational plans for special needs, so when these families come in to get registered, they have to bring all the proper documentation," he said. "These are also families who are brand new to Yonkers and many of them do not speak English."

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What goes into registering a new student for school in NY?

Registration includes more than adding a name to a school roster, Jamal said. Families need to provide a birth certificate and proper documentation, listed on the district website . Special learning accommodations, transportation and other factors have to be taken care of.

Parents of children with special needs need to meet with a special education council through the county, Jamal said.

"We work with them to develop an IEP plan for that student's special needs," he continued. "Then, if the student needs transportation, they have to enroll in transportation services."

Jamal said the enrollment process slows down further since new families, especially those from other countries, typically need to spend time obtaining proper documents.

"Our enrollment numbers are going up right now, which is great for the district, but [the backup] is not because we're just sitting on our hands," he said.

Jamal said the district is processing between 80 and 90 registrations a day, bringing the original number of close to 400 down to 117 in a matter of days. He said the district is communicating with families on a daily basis and anticipate all registered students were expected to be placed into classes by Friday, Sept. 13.

Other Lower Hudson Valley schools experienced same issues as Yonkers

As more and more immigrant families move to the Lower Hudson Valley over the years, public schools have struggled to fit all the new students eager to learn in classrooms for the beginning of the school year.

In 2022, 938 new students were documented at the East Ramapo school district in Rockland. Some high school students were left without schedules until at least October. District officials have said the enrollment trend has continued, with newcomers enrolling every week.

The district in response created a standalone temporary academy to place all students in class and help them acclimate to life in New York, with the chance to matriculate into the following grade at the end of the year. Newcomers Academy, however, was later forced to disband by the New York State Education Department.

What documentation is needed to enroll a student in a new NY school?

Yonkers Public Schools, and most school districts in New York State, require the following documents to enroll a child in a new district. Enrollment information can be found at each district's webpage:

• Proof of age: Students entering Pre-K must be 4 years old and students entering kindergarten must be 5 years old. All guardians must provide a birth certificate, record of baptism or a passport that clearly states their child's date of birth, whether they are just starting their education or entering at a higher grade level.
• Proof of guardianship: Guardians must provide a photo ID to identify the person whose name appears on the birth certificate or custody documents.
• Proof of residency: The student's address must be provided to confirm their presence in the district and to determine which school they will attend and what form of transportation they will receive. Yonkers Public Schools require three proofs of residency, including one primary document and two secondary documents:
  • Primary document: A deed, mortgage statement, or copy of a residential lease or a homeowner's/landlord's statement from the owner or tenant who is sharing their property with the family.
  • Secondary documents: Payroll stubs, income tax forms, voter registration forms, official state driver's license or ID, Section 8 municipal housing statement, etc .
• Custody affidavits: The district may also ask for proof of parentship or guardian status, including court documents that state the guardian's natural parentage to the child or proof of legal custody as a sponsor the child has been placed with by a federal agency.
• Immunization records: Parents must provide proof of immunizations legally required by New York State to attend school. For a full list of immunizations, click here .

If your child has still not been enrolled in a class at Yonkers Public School, contact 914-376-8091.

Additional reporting by Nancy Cutler

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Yonkers Public Schools say last-minute registration caused delay in classroom placements