A new poll shows 95% of New Yorkers want NYC schools to improve test scores, cut costs, or both as spending hits $45 billion.
NYC schools are facing a wave of public anger, with a new poll showing that New Yorkers overwhelmingly want the city’s public education system to improve. The survey found that 95% of city residents say the schools need better math and reading results, lower spending, or both.
Only 3% of respondents said New York Public Schools should keep operating as it is. Empire Center President Zilvinas Silenas said, “I have never seen such a broad condemnation of business as usual.” The poll also found that 91% of respondents said the Department of Education needs to do better on reading and math scores as the city continues to struggle with illiteracy and innumeracy concerns.
The numbers land at a difficult moment for the system. State Education Department data released this week showed that fewer than half of New York elementary students, 48%, were proficient in reading, down from 53% the year before. In New York City, about 56% met the reading benchmark, marking a 7% increase from the previous year. Even with that gain, the broader picture remains grim, with more than 40% of city students failing state reading and math tests in the 2024-2025 school year.
The poll was conducted by the Empire Center, a good government nonprofit think tank, and surveyed 600 likely 2026 general election voters in New York from July 6 to July 8. It also showed deep concern over money. Thirty-five percent of respondents said the school system needs to tighten its budget, while the combined results showed 60% want better test scores, 31% want both better performance and lower spending, and 4% say the DOE should simply spend less.
“A new poll shows 95% of New Yorkers want NYC schools to improve test scores, cut costs, or both as spending hits $45 billion.”
That frustration is amplified by the size of the system’s budget. City schools are set to spend $45 billion in the 2026 school year, which works out to about $53,000 per pupil, more than anywhere else in the country. At the same time, enrollment has fallen sharply since COVID, with 12.2% fewer students in public school classrooms now than five years ago. The shrinking student body and rising cost together have made the system harder for officials to defend.
The anger is not limited to New York City. Across the state, only 4% of respondents approved of the public school system. Statewide, 47% said public schools need to improve reading and math scores, while another 47% said they need to spend less. The poll’s results suggest a broader taxpayer revolt is brewing around the cost and performance of public education in New York.
For ordinary New Yorkers, the message is clear: families want better results for the money they are already paying, and patience is running thin. With test scores under pressure, enrollment falling, and budgets still climbing, city and state education leaders will have to answer to voters who are demanding proof that the system can deliver. The takeaway for American readers is simple: when public schools soak up record spending and still disappoint families, trust collapses fast.
Frequently asked questions
What did the poll find about NYC schools?
It found that 95% of New York City respondents want schools to improve test scores, cut spending, or do both. Only 3% said the system should continue unchanged.
Who conducted the poll?
The Empire Center, a good government nonprofit think tank, conducted the survey. It questioned 600 likely 2026 general election voters in New York from July 6 to July 8.
How much is New York City spending on schools?
City schools are set to spend $45 billion in the 2026 school year. That works out to about $53,000 per pupil.
What do the latest test results show?
State data showed 48% of New York elementary students were proficient in reading, down from 53% the year before. In New York City, about 56% met the reading benchmark.
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