Riverdale's P.S. 81 expands with 22 new student seats to ease enrollment demand

There is now room for 22 more students at P.S. 81 Robert J. Christen School in Riverdale, a relief for parents who have been on the waitlist for months, as announced in a joint statement June 22 by Council member Eric Dinowitz and Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz.

P.S. 81’s highest class size is 30 students, according to the New York City Public Schools’ class size report from February. In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul passed a law mandating that within five years, the city cap its kindergarten through third grade classes at 20 students and its fourth through eighth grade classes at 23 students. P.S. 81 averages 22 students and 25 students per class, respectively. The state recently passed legislation extending that deadline to 2030.

Principal Anne Kirrane told The Press in May that P.S. 81, located at 5550 Riverdale Ave., had a total of 703 students and 87 teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff during the most recent school year.

Lawmakers said in the statement the school is one of the most sought-after in the district. Council member Dinowitz, who is also chair of the New York City Council’s Committee on Education, told The Press adding 22 seats — which will be implemented in the form of one additional kindergarten class — was a matter of rearranging classes and consolidating space at the school. The change was a collaborative effort between the elected officials, parents, school administrators and New York City Public Schools, according to the joint statement.

“We believe that every child has the right to go to their own local school,” Council member Dinowitz said, referring to himself and Assembly member Dinowitz. “No matter where you live in the city. That’s just as true for Riverdale as it is anywhere else.”

New York City Public Schools told The Press the decision to add seats was made on a school level, and P.S. 81 was able to extend seats because of  interest and advocacy from the wider school community.

P.S. 81 declined to comment on the addition of seats.

Even with this change, the outsize demand for seats at area public schools remains a discussion for local officials. Council member Dinowitz said adding physical space to P.S. 81 is being discussed as a long-term solution. He also said two new schools are being built in the district — a pre-K through fifth grade school at 6393 Broadway, which is the site of the old Van Cortlandt Motel, and an elementary school at 160 Van Cortlandt Park South.