Enrollment at New York City public schools fell by more than 20,000 students this year, according to preliminary data released by the city’s education department — a sign the nation’s largest school system is still suffering an alarming trend that accelerated during the pandemic.

The city reported Monday that roughly 884,400 students enrolled in the system this fall, down about 2.4% from 906,248 last year. Officials said they would hold off on funding cuts tied to lower enrollment through at least the end of the school year.

New York City public schools’ have lost approximately 100,000 students since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which experts attribute to a mix of factors, including an affordability crisis pushing families out of the city, declining birth rates, the system

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