Moore, Pozzuoli Urge Student-First School Funding as NYC Spends $36,000 Per Pupil
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 14
Moore, Pozzuoli Urge Student-First School Funding as NYC Spends $36,000 Per Pupil
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 14
Summary
$40 billion in New York City school spending in 2024 translated into about $36,000 per student, yet only 29% of eighth graders were proficient in reading and most students failed both reading and math in 503 of 906 schools studied.
Chicago showed a similar gap between funding and outcomes: 43% of students in grades 3-8 met reading standards in 2025, 27% met math standards, and chronic absenteeism stayed above 40% even after lower proficiency benchmarks.
Louisiana is cited as a counterexample, ranking first nationally in reading growth and posting record achievement while expanding parent-directed options through the LA GATOR scholarship program and charter schools that now serve about 1 in 8 public students.
Florida offers the longer-run case for school choice: charter students outperformed district peers in 55 of 77 academic comparisons, and more than 400,000 students are enrolled in charter schools statewide.
Moore and Pozzuoli argue those contrasts show education dollars should follow students rather than institutions, with parental choice and school competition driving accountability and stronger academic results.