Students Might Not Safely Fit In Astoria, LIC Schools: Report

ASTORIA-LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — The academic year is slated to kick off in just over a month, but a handful of public schools in Astoria and Long Island City might have trouble fitting all of their students back into buildings safely.

Leonie Haimson, executive director of the advocacy group Class Size Matters, revealed this week a list of 76 severely overcrowded schools that education officials flagged as "Tier 1" in May, meaning the schools would have trouble following the CDC’s three-foot social distancing rule — including eight in northwest Queens.

More recently, the DOE told union leaders that only about 50 schools will be unable to accommodate the three-feet rule, but United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew said the union is “having a hard time believing” the numbers.

Haimson is skeptical about the DOE’s recent estimates, too, pointing out that the DOE estimates in May including nearly 200 public schools would have trouble fitting students back into their buildings at a three-feet distance.

"Please be aware, however, that even if your child's school is not on this list, the actual list of schools too crowded to provide any distancing is likely much longer," Haimson wrote on the school blog where she first posted the list. "Parents [should] be asking their principals what the plan is to provide three feet of social distancing next year."

The list has not been confirmed or denied by the education department, according to Gothamist, who first reported on it.

In northwest Queens, eight schools are on the list of Tier 1 schools, several of which are marked at more than 160 percent over capacity, according to the list.

In Long Island City, the International High School at LaGuardia Community College and the Academy of Finance and Enterprise are 171 percent and 185 percent over capacity, the list shows.

In Astoria, the Academy of American Studies is 164 percent over capacity, according to the list, with 1,025 students enrolled despite its capacity of 626 students.

Still, education officials told Gothamist that all schools will be able to provide full-time, in-person instruction this fall and that teams have been touring and measuring spaces to advise administrators.

"We look forward to having all of our students back in buildings this fall," DOE spokesperson Nathaniel Styer told Gothamist. "All our schools will safely serve every student in accordance with current CDC guidance."

Mayor Bill de Blasio has also said he is "absolutely confident" that New York City schools will open for in-person learning in September.

Several principals interviewed by Gothamist, though, have said they still have concerns about the spacing guidelines, including how to meet them during lunchtime or the need to hire more teachers given smaller class sizes.

Here's the full list of Tier 1 schools in northwest Queens:

• Academy of Finance and Enterprise — 185 percent over capacity
• International High School — 171 percent over capacity
• Academy of American Studies — 164 percent over capacity
• P.S. 384 — 152 percent over capacity
• Middle College High School — 139 percent over capacity
• P.S. 12 — 131 percent over capacity
• Baccalaureate School for Global Education — 127 percent over capacity
• Young Women's Leadership School — 112 percent over capacity

Find a citywide list of schools, along with their enrollment numbers, here.

Patch editor Anna Quinn contributed to this report.