Council oversight hearing: DOE defends transfer‑school gains, flags staffing, funding and enrollment pressures

The New York City Council’s Committee on Education on Thursday heard testimony from Department of Education officials who said transfer high schools are producing measurable improvements for over‑age, under‑credited students, while warning that staffing shortfalls and funding gaps could undercut progress.

John Sullivan, superintendent of transfer high schools, told the committee that the city operates 51 transfer schools and that the transfer high school district supervises 42 schools across all five boroughs. He said transfer schools currently serve 8,734 students, including 2,082 students with disabilities, 2,608 English‑language learners and roughly 1,986 students in temporary housing. "Transfer schools build bridges, not barriers to education," Sullivan said, adding that the schools provide targeted advisories, social‑emotional supports, and partnerships with community‑based organizations that operate the Learning to Work program.

Why it matters: Transfer schools serve students who disengaged from traditional high schools…