149,562 students were enrolled in New York Jewish schools for the 2016-2017 school year. This is an increase from the 147,498 students a year earlier. The students were spread over 428 institutions throughout sixteen counties in grades full day Kindergarten through 12th, and the data includes students that were enrolled in Ungraded Elementary (UGE) schools and Ungraded Secondary (UGS) schools. The data was compiled by the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC) from stats made available by the New York State Education Department.

?The counties with the most students in Jewish schools across the above-mentioned grades were:

 

Brooklyn with 82,534 students; up from 82,481 a year earlier; an increase of 53 students.

 

Rockland with 25,971 students; up from 24,839 a year earlier; an increase of 1,132 students.

 

Orange with 12,191 students; up from 11,661; an increase of 530 students.

 

Queens with 11,299 students; up from 10,835; an increase of 464 students.

 

Nassau with 7,501 students; down from 7,803; a decrease of 302 students.

 

Manhattan with 4,464 students; up from 4,457; an increase of 7 students from a year earlier.

 

The percentage change in Jewish school enrollment last year compared to a year earlier was 1.40% statewide, and county by county

 

Orange rose 4.58%;

 

Rockland rose 4.56%;

 

Queens rose 3.1%;

 

Manhattan rose 0.16%;

 

Brooklyn rose 0.06% and

 

Nassau declined by 3.88%.

 

The change in Jewish school enrollment last school year compared to the school year five years earlier (2011-2012) is an increase of

 

18,726 students statewide; up from 130,836 students;

 

7,270 students in Brooklyn, up from 75,264 students;

 

6,099 students in Rockland; up from 19,872 students;

 

2,513 students in Orange; up from 9,678 students;

 

1,817 students in Queens; up from 9,482 students;

 

560 students in Nassau; up from 6,941 students;

 

Down 127 students in Manhattan from 4,337 students.

 

The change in Jewish school enrollment last school year compared to a decade earlier, the baseline used for this report (2006-2007), is an increase of

38,977 students or 35.3% statewide

18,392 students or 28.67% in Brooklyn

 

10,704 students or 70.11% in Rockland

 

4,874 students or 66.61% in Orange

 

2,733 students or 31.90% in Queens

 

925 students or 14.10% in Nassau

 

144 students or 3.33% in Manhattan

 

Overall, 405,974 students were enrolled in nonpublic schools in New York State in the 2016-2017 school year; a decrease from the 409,021 students a year earlier; which is lower from the 412,651 in the 2011-2012 school year and 436,784 in the 2006-2007 school year. Meanwhile, enrollment in private Jewish schools statewide rose from 110,515 students in the 2006-2007 school year to 130,836 in the 2011-2012 school year and 149,562 last school year.

 

A decade ago, enrollment in Jewish schools represented 25.3% of all nonpublic school enrollment in New York state. Five years ago it was 31.7%, and the last school year it was 36.8%.

Brooklyn saw the biggest year-to-year shift in student enrollment growth compared to changes in previous years. After rising by more than 2,100 students in the 2015-2016 school year, enrollment in Brooklyn Jewish schools rose by only 53 students for the 2016-2017 school year. Basically, the natural growth of the population was canceled out by the mass exodus of Hasidim from Brooklyn to other places such as to Rockland county 30 miles North of New York City or to Ocean county in New Jersey. When looking at enrollment numbers of a few institutions as examples, the numbers are vivid: One school system in Boro Park dropped from 5,216 students two years ago to 4,599 students last year. A large girls school went from 975 students to 969 students; another one saw a slight drop from 355 to 345, while another one rose only from 1,867 students to 1,904.

?Each of the 149,562 students enrolled in Jewish schools across New York receive, on average, less than $1,500 in tax-funded services a year, compared to more than $20,000 invested in every public-school student. The gap of more than $18,500 per student saved taxpayers at least $2.76 billion in education funding last school year.

The mission of the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC) is to counter the defamation and generalization of the Orthodox Jewish community. Our donate page is here. Your support is appreciated!