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New York City’s evolving class size requirements are accelerating the demand for certified teachers across the five boroughs — and the City University of New York is responding in a major way.
According to a press release first distributed via NYC Newswire, CUNY has more than tripled enrollment in the 2025 NYC Teaching Fellows cohort, expanding one of the city’s most important alternative teacher preparation pipelines at a moment when staffing pressures are intensifying.
For 2025, 526 Fellows have enrolled in CUNY master’s degree programs — a significant increase from 164 participants in 2024. The expansion aligns with the city’s effort to comply with new state-mandated class size caps, which are expected to require thousands of additional educators over the next several years.
The NYC Teaching Fellows program, launched in 2000 by New York City Public Schools, recruits both career changers and recent graduates to teach in high-need subject areas such as special education, math, science, and Spanish. Since its inception, CUNY has trained more than 15,000 Fellows.
Among its alumni is current New York City Public Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels, who earned his master’s degree in childhood education from Lehman College in 2006 after entering the classroom through the Fellows pathway.
The program’s structure is designed to quickly transition participants into teaching roles while maintaining academic rigor. Fellows complete a seven-week summer training intensive before beginning full-time teaching assignments in September. At the same time, they pursue a subsidized master’s degree and work toward state certification within two to three years.
Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez described CUNY as a central driver in New York City’s teacher pipeline, noting that many Fellows are themselves graduates of the city’s public schools who return to serve the same communities that educated them.
Chancellor Samuels has emphasized that the program does more than fill vacancies — it cultivates a diverse group of educators committed to high-need schools and long-term service. Today, more than 9,000 Teaching Fellows are working in New York City classrooms, and more than 600 have advanced into leadership positions as principals, assistant principals, and instructional administrators.
Under its partnership agreement with New York City Public Schools, CUNY manages 55% of all Teaching Fellows placements. Participants attend four campuses: Hunter College, Brooklyn College, City College of New York, and Lehman College.
Beyond the Fellows initiative, CUNY prepares more than one-third of all new public school teachers in New York City and more than 40% of teachers of color statewide. Data included in the NYC Newswire release indicates that teachers prepared through CUNY programs have a 17% higher five-year retention rate compared to those trained elsewhere — a key metric as districts nationwide struggle with turnover.
As the city works to meet class size reductions while expanding early childhood and universal care initiatives, the growth of the NYC Teaching Fellows program signals a broader strategy: strengthening teacher diversity, improving retention, and building long-term instructional stability.
For families, the expansion could translate into smaller classrooms staffed by certified educators who are supported through structured graduate training and mentorship.
Applications for the 2026 NYC Teaching Fellows cohort are open through March 19.
For NYC Educators, the expansion represents more than a program milestone — it is a measurable indicator of how higher education and public schools are aligning to address one of the city’s most pressing educational challenges.