Long Island public schools see shift in diversity with rise in Hispanic, Asian student population, analysis finds
Huldah Pierre teaches an ENL class at Roosevelt High School earlier this month. In addition to teaching Spanish and Haitian Creole, Roosevelt plans to introduce Italian, American Sign Language and Mandarin, Superintendent Shawn Wightman said. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp
Long Island public schools have seen transformative changes in the makeup of the student body in the past decade, including a decrease of thousands of white and Black students and the addition of thousands of Hispanics and Asians, according to a Newsday analysis.
These shifts reflect larger population shifts on Long Island, the state and nation, and have drastically altered the makeup of many local districts, impacting their priorities, spending choices, service needs and school culture, educators say.
The population shifts have enhanced the diversity in Island schools and broadened students' familiarity with other cultures, but also brought challenges, educators say. Some districts have added Hispanic and Asian students with limited skills in English. In addition, some districts have seen an increase in students whose families are struggling financially, educators say.
Among the biggest changes: The Island's 124 districts saw a 31% decrease in the number of white students, a drop of 82,079, from 264,333 in 2013-14 to 182,254 in 2023-24, according to figures from the state Department of Education.
White students remain the single-largest demographic group in the schools but are no longer the majority, dipping from 58.5% to 43.1% of the overall student body, the figures show.
"What's happening on Long Island reflects what's happening nationally," said Martin R. Cantor, director of the Long Island Center for Socio-Economic Policy. "Hispanics are coming to the United States for the opportunity to succeed. The white population has been slowly dropping for decades. ... For Asians, Long Island is a very appealing place to live and raise children, primarily because of our schools."
The Black student population saw a decrease of 20.3% in the decade, a dip of 9,339 — from 45,953 to 36,614, the figures showed. The group dropped from 10.2% to 8.7% of the overall student body. The decrease is at least partially due to some Black students transferring to charter schools in areas such as Hempstead, Uniondale and Roosevelt, resulting in their numbers no longer being counted in public schools, educators say.
The Hispanic student population saw big gains in the past decade, a jump of 39,641, or 38.8% — from 102,040 to 141,681, figures show. This group grew from 22.6% to 33.5% of the overall school population. Much of the growth comes from families moving here from Mexico, Latin America and other U.S. states, educators say.
The Asian/Pacific Islander student population also grew significantly, increasing 16,427 students — from 32,861 to 49,288, figures show. The group increased from 7.3% to 11.7% of the student body. Educators say they've seen an influx of Asians from New York City and other countries, many with a level of wealth and education moving into well-off areas with top schools, such as Jericho, Syosset and Oyster Bay.
Meanwhile, the number of American Indian and native Alaskan students rose from 966 to 1,127, an increase of 161 students, or 16.7%. And the number of multiracial students more than doubled, from 5,457 to 11,453, an increase of 5,996, or 110%, state figures show.
John Cameron, chair of the Long Island Regional Planning Council, noted that the changes occurred during a decade in which the Island's overall student population dropped by 6.5%, or 29,193, from 451,610 to 422,417, according to state figures.
Island schools could have faced a far more severe drop in the student body if not for the addition of Hispanic and Asian students, he said.
"Some people say that they're getting too many kids for their schools, but they need those kids for more efficient utilization of their school system," Cameron said.
Over the past decade, Long Island's overall population dropped by 53,001, or 1.8%, from 2,904,885 million to 2,851,884, according to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Island's overall white population dropped by 12.2%, according to census figures.
The Black population rose 1.5%, census figures show. The Hispanic population soared 27.9%, figures show. And the Asian population grew 42%, figures show.
Schools are mandated by law to educate all students, regardless of their immigration status. The combined numbers of Asian, Hispanic, Black, American Indian and multiracial students — totaling 240,163 — now represent the majority, or 56.9%, of Island students, figures showed.
"We're seeing our districts change before our eyes every day," said Brandy Scott, president of the Long Island Black Educators Association.
For all the changes, the great majority of Island teachers are white, state figures show.
Long Island has a total of 36,300 teachers, of which 9.9%, or 3,593, are minority, according to figures from the state Department of Education for the 2022-23 school year.
Dafny Irizarry, president of the Long Island Latino Teachers Association, openly wondered whether the will is there to address diversity issues in many Island districts. Island educators need to meet students where they are, she said.
"We are a country of immigrants. And we need to show that," she said, adding that this student body is "our future, and our present."
Perhaps no Island district reflects the drop in white students as Levittown, which educates about 7,400 students.
Levittown has changed from an overwhelming white majority district, 75% in 2013-14 to 54.7% in 2023-24, according to state figures.
"The white families have aged out, and many don't have school-age children anymore," said Hofstra University education professor Alan Singer, speaking about Long Island in general.
Singer said he does not see any mass exodus of white and Black students from Island schools, but rather that families are aging and generally having fewer children. Some have relocated off the Island due to the high costs of living here. And many young couples simply can't afford to settle here, he said.
Levittown schools have become increasingly diverse. The school system is now 23.4% Hispanic, 18.3% Asian and 1.6% Black, state figures show. The changes have brought both challenges and joys, Superintendent Todd Winch said.
"The changes have occurred very smoothly. ... We've had some adjustments. The English as a New Language, we've expanded that," Winch said. "We've added more multicultural events, more holidays. It's been a wonderful thing."
In the early 2000s, Levittown had English as a Second Language programs in four of its 10 schools; now, with students speaking some 30 languages, the programs are in nine of the schools, he said. The number of ENL teachers nearly doubled to 22 in the last 10 years, he said.
One change making a difference: the post-pandemic addition of a special liaison to reach out to parents who speak little or no English, often with home visits.
"You become a friendly face," said the liaison, Mary Akers, a former ENL teacher. She helps the families apply for free and reduced lunch programs and teaches parents about laptops and the benefits of the local library. "They see the school is there to help them. ... It helps connect them to the community."
Nanor Danyal, a senior at MacArthur High School, came here with her mother a year ago from Iran and already has landed in the National Honor Society.
"I wanted to get a better education and I knew if I came here I would have better opportunities for my future," said Danyal, 17.
At first, school was hard because of the language barrier, she said. She had started learning English a year before coming to Levittown. Once in school, she used the Google translator program.
Since then, she's made new friends, seen "Hamilton" on Broadway and fallen in love with computer science, which she plans to pursue in college, she said.
Alessandra Salazar came here from Peru three years ago with her family.
"When I came here, I didn't know anything," said Salazar, 16, a junior at MacArthur, adding she plans to study crime-scene analysis in college.
Asked what she likes about Levittown schools, she said, "I like everything."
In Roosevelt schools, the student population has shifted from majority Black to majority Hispanic in a decade, the figures showed. Hispanics now represent 61.2% of the student body, while Black students dropped from 58.4% to 36.7%, the figures showed.
"Over the past decade, the Roosevelt Union Free School District has experienced a profound transformation in its student population," Superintendent Shawn Wightman said.
As the Hispanic population increased, the district has expanded bilingual education and ENL courses, Wightman said.
A point of pride: A total of 21 Roosevelt High School students were awarded the New York State Seal of Biliteracy for 2023-24, which honors students proficient in English and another language. They were the first students in the district's history to receive this distinction, he said.
In addition to teaching Spanish and Haitian Creole, Roosevelt plans to introduce Italian, American Sign Language and Mandarin, Wightman said.
"This initiative supports our vision of cultivating global citizens who are well-prepared to navigate and succeed in an increasingly diverse society," Wightman said.
The population changes have brought numerous students who struggle financially, he said. More than 70% of the district's students are considered economically disadvantaged, Wightman said.
"In response, we have expanded our support programs such as free and reduced lunch, after-school tutoring and partnerships with local organizations to provide essential resources like food, clothing and academic assistance," he said.
Scott, of the Long Island Black Educators Association, said she sees Black students, particularly in the areas of Hempstead, Uniondale, Baldwin and Roosevelt, going to local charter schools, especially in the elementary schools.
For example, the student population at Academy Charter School in Hempstead has grown from 422 in 2012-13 to 1,880 in the 2023-24, according to figures from the state Department of Education.
Some Black families have sent their children to private and parochial schools, or moved away, she said.
"Lots of Black families are migrating down to the Carolinas. They often do this just before their children head into middle school," Scott said.
Wyandanch also has seen its district shift from majority Black to majority Hispanic, the figures show.
Wyandanch has been home to multiple generations of Black families. It is considered among the poorest districts in the state. As Black students have received an education, many have left for better housing and jobs, interim Superintendent Larry Aronstein said.
Wyandanch, which educates some 2,677 students, saw its Black population fall from 56% to 31.6% in a decade, figures show. Meanwhile, the Hispanic student population rose from 42.3% to 66.7%.
The shift has created a continual need for bilingual teachers and those certified in ENL, Aronstein said.
"We've been trying to hire a bilingual teacher. We've advertised it three times since July, and we have no applications," he said.
For all the challenges, Aronstein said the overwhelming feeling in these ENL classes is happiness.
"These kids are highly motivated to learn the new language. They know that if they are going to succeed in their lives, they have to speak English," he said.
Many of the Hispanic and Black families have close ties to local churches, he said, so this school year the board of education will hold several meetings in them.
"It's kind of a community outreach," he said. "We're taking the show on the road."
For all the population changes, each school district has its own story of change.
Ten years ago, the Lawrence district had a robust mix of students and was among the Island's high-performing districts on standardized tests. Since then, the number of white and Black students has dropped by about half, while the Hispanic share of the student body has risen from 46.9% to 69.9%, state education figures showed.
The area can broadly be split between those with a level of wealth and those in financial difficulty, Superintendent Ann Pedersen said. Numerous white students attend private Jewish schools, meaning their numbers are not counted among those in public schools, she noted.
"Now we do struggle with our scores," Pedersen said. "Many of the [Hispanic] students are first-generation students and families. They're just beginning their life in this country."
Recruiting bilingual teachers, counselors and other staff is a struggle, and the scarcity of these workers has made it an ongoing need, she said. All of the district's ENL teachers are certified, she said, but that's not the case for some other districts.
Newsday reported in July that the number of English-language learners on Long Island rose about 60% the past decade, to a total of 43,675. These students increased from 6% of the Island's student population to about 11% of the total Island enrollment, state figures show.
"Many districts, from what I see, complain the funding is not there" for more bilingual staff and resources for these learners, Irizarry said. "We need resources, yes, but are we having the conversations on what is needed? ... Do people see diversity as an asset or is it only a challenge?"
The Asian population in Island schools, while still relatively small, has increased by 50% since 2013-14, to the point where Asian students account for about 1 in 10 overall on the Island, state figures show.
Gordon Zhang, 50, recalls coming to Long Island in 1996 from China and seeing hardly any Asians here. He came to earn his doctorate degree in electrical engineering from Stony Brook University, he said.
"The place is beautiful. You're close to the city if you want to go to Broadway. There are top museums. It's far enough from the city," Zhang said.
He married in 1999 and later moved to Syosset, he said, and helped form the Long Island Chinese American Association in 2014. He now serves as its president. He moved to the hamlet of Woodbury for "a bigger house, a bigger backyard" in 2017, and now has a son, Alexander, in ninth grade at Syosset High School, he said.
Zhang said he's seen many changes on the Island, including districts adopting the holidays of the Lunar New Year, the Hindu festival of lights called Diwali, and the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the monthlong dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan.
Syosset is among those districts that have become majority Asian, with their share of the student body rising from 27.9% in 2013-14 to 50.4% in 2023-24, state figures show. Other majority Asian districts include Herricks, New Hyde Park-Garden City Park and Jericho.
Syosset is making progress in hiring a diverse faculty and staff, but more needs to be done, Zhang said.
"The faculty on Long Island doesn't match the students. Virtually all the teachers are white," he said. "Kids want to see teachers with similar backgrounds to themselves."
Syosset has a total of 677 teachers, of which 8.1%, or 55, are minority, according to state figures.
Syosset spokesperson Philomena Hefferon said the district has changed its recruitment to assemble the broadest pool of candidates, which has increased the diversity of the staff.
"By continuing to recruit inclusively and hiring the best candidates from every pool, we anticipate the composition of our faculty will increasingly mirror the demographics of our learning community, both benefiting our students and the community at large,” she said.
With Michael Ebert and Arielle Martinez
Long Island public schools have seen transformative changes in the makeup of the student body in the past decade, including a decrease of thousands of white and Black students and the addition of thousands of Hispanics and Asians, according to a Newsday analysis.
These shifts reflect larger population shifts on Long Island, the state and nation, and have drastically altered the makeup of many local districts, impacting their priorities, spending choices, service needs and school culture, educators say.
The population shifts have enhanced the diversity in Island schools and broadened students' familiarity with other cultures, but also brought challenges, educators say. Some districts have added Hispanic and Asian students with limited skills in English. In addition, some districts have seen an increase in students whose families are struggling financially, educators say.
Among the biggest changes: The Island's 124 districts saw a 31% decrease in the number of white students, a drop of 82,079, from 264,333 in 2013-14 to 182,254 in 2023-24, according to figures from the state Department of Education.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- Long Island public schools have seen transformative changes in the makeup of the student body in the past decade, including a decrease of thousands of white and Black students and the addition of thousands of Hispanics and Asians, according to a Newsday analysis.
- These shifts reflect larger population shifts on Long Island, the state and nation, and have drastically altered the makeup of many local districts, impacting their priorities, spending choices, service needs and school culture, educators say.
- The population shifts have enhanced the diversity in Island schools and broadened students' familiarity with other cultures, but also brought challenges. Some districts have added numerous Hispanic and Asian students with limited skills in English, educators say.
White students remain the single-largest demographic group in the schools but are no longer the majority, dipping from 58.5% to 43.1% of the overall student body, the figures show.
"What's happening on Long Island reflects what's happening nationally," said Martin R. Cantor, director of the Long Island Center for Socio-Economic Policy. "Hispanics are coming to the United States for the opportunity to succeed. The white population has been slowly dropping for decades. ... For Asians, Long Island is a very appealing place to live and raise children, primarily because of our schools."
The Black student population saw a decrease of 20.3% in the decade, a dip of 9,339 — from 45,953 to 36,614, the figures showed. The group dropped from 10.2% to 8.7% of the overall student body. The decrease is at least partially due to some Black students transferring to charter schools in areas such as Hempstead, Uniondale and Roosevelt, resulting in their numbers no longer being counted in public schools, educators say.
The Hispanic student population saw big gains in the past decade, a jump of 39,641, or 38.8% — from 102,040 to 141,681, figures show. This group grew from 22.6% to 33.5% of the overall school population. Much of the growth comes from families moving here from Mexico, Latin America and other U.S. states, educators say.
The Asian/Pacific Islander student population also grew significantly, increasing 16,427 students — from 32,861 to 49,288, figures show. The group increased from 7.3% to 11.7% of the student body. Educators say they've seen an influx of Asians from New York City and other countries, many with a level of wealth and education moving into well-off areas with top schools, such as Jericho, Syosset and Oyster Bay.
Meanwhile, the number of American Indian and native Alaskan students rose from 966 to 1,127, an increase of 161 students, or 16.7%. And the number of multiracial students more than doubled, from 5,457 to 11,453, an increase of 5,996, or 110%, state figures show.
John Cameron, chair of the Long Island Regional Planning Council, noted that the changes occurred during a decade in which the Island's overall student population dropped by 6.5%, or 29,193, from 451,610 to 422,417, according to state figures.
Island schools could have faced a far more severe drop in the student body if not for the addition of Hispanic and Asian students, he said.
"Some people say that they're getting too many kids for their schools, but they need those kids for more efficient utilization of their school system," Cameron said.
Over the past decade, Long Island's overall population dropped by 53,001, or 1.8%, from 2,904,885 million to 2,851,884, according to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Island's overall white population dropped by 12.2%, according to census figures.
The Black population rose 1.5%, census figures show. The Hispanic population soared 27.9%, figures show. And the Asian population grew 42%, figures show.
Schools are mandated by law to educate all students, regardless of their immigration status. The combined numbers of Asian, Hispanic, Black, American Indian and multiracial students — totaling 240,163 — now represent the majority, or 56.9%, of Island students, figures showed.
"We're seeing our districts change before our eyes every day," said Brandy Scott, president of the Long Island Black Educators Association.
For all the changes, the great majority of Island teachers are white, state figures show.
Long Island has a total of 36,300 teachers, of which 9.9%, or 3,593, are minority, according to figures from the state Department of Education for the 2022-23 school year.
Dafny Irizarry, president of the Long Island Latino Teachers Association, openly wondered whether the will is there to address diversity issues in many Island districts. Island educators need to meet students where they are, she said.
"We are a country of immigrants. And we need to show that," she said, adding that this student body is "our future, and our present."
Challenges, joys in Levittown
Perhaps no Island district reflects the drop in white students as Levittown, which educates about 7,400 students.
Levittown has changed from an overwhelming white majority district, 75% in 2013-14 to 54.7% in 2023-24, according to state figures.
"The white families have aged out, and many don't have school-age children anymore," said Hofstra University education professor Alan Singer, speaking about Long Island in general.
Singer said he does not see any mass exodus of white and Black students from Island schools, but rather that families are aging and generally having fewer children. Some have relocated off the Island due to the high costs of living here. And many young couples simply can't afford to settle here, he said.
Levittown schools have become increasingly diverse. The school system is now 23.4% Hispanic, 18.3% Asian and 1.6% Black, state figures show. The changes have brought both challenges and joys, Superintendent Todd Winch said.
"The changes have occurred very smoothly. ... We've had some adjustments. The English as a New Language, we've expanded that," Winch said. "We've added more multicultural events, more holidays. It's been a wonderful thing."
In the early 2000s, Levittown had English as a Second Language programs in four of its 10 schools; now, with students speaking some 30 languages, the programs are in nine of the schools, he said. The number of ENL teachers nearly doubled to 22 in the last 10 years, he said.
One change making a difference: the post-pandemic addition of a special liaison to reach out to parents who speak little or no English, often with home visits.
"You become a friendly face," said the liaison, Mary Akers, a former ENL teacher. She helps the families apply for free and reduced lunch programs and teaches parents about laptops and the benefits of the local library. "They see the school is there to help them. ... It helps connect them to the community."
Nanor Danyal, a senior at MacArthur High School, came here with her mother a year ago from Iran and already has landed in the National Honor Society.
"I wanted to get a better education and I knew if I came here I would have better opportunities for my future," said Danyal, 17.
At first, school was hard because of the language barrier, she said. She had started learning English a year before coming to Levittown. Once in school, she used the Google translator program.
Since then, she's made new friends, seen "Hamilton" on Broadway and fallen in love with computer science, which she plans to pursue in college, she said.
MacArthur High School students Alessandra Salazar, left, from Peru, and Nanor Danyal, who came to the school from Iran. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Alessandra Salazar came here from Peru three years ago with her family.
"When I came here, I didn't know anything," said Salazar, 16, a junior at MacArthur, adding she plans to study crime-scene analysis in college.
Asked what she likes about Levittown schools, she said, "I like everything."
'A profound transformation' in Roosevelt
In Roosevelt schools, the student population has shifted from majority Black to majority Hispanic in a decade, the figures showed. Hispanics now represent 61.2% of the student body, while Black students dropped from 58.4% to 36.7%, the figures showed.
"Over the past decade, the Roosevelt Union Free School District has experienced a profound transformation in its student population," Superintendent Shawn Wightman said.
As the Hispanic population increased, the district has expanded bilingual education and ENL courses, Wightman said.
A point of pride: A total of 21 Roosevelt High School students were awarded the New York State Seal of Biliteracy for 2023-24, which honors students proficient in English and another language. They were the first students in the district's history to receive this distinction, he said.
In addition to teaching Spanish and Haitian Creole, Roosevelt plans to introduce Italian, American Sign Language and Mandarin, Wightman said.
"This initiative supports our vision of cultivating global citizens who are well-prepared to navigate and succeed in an increasingly diverse society," Wightman said.
The population changes have brought numerous students who struggle financially, he said. More than 70% of the district's students are considered economically disadvantaged, Wightman said.
"In response, we have expanded our support programs such as free and reduced lunch, after-school tutoring and partnerships with local organizations to provide essential resources like food, clothing and academic assistance," he said.
Scott, of the Long Island Black Educators Association, said she sees Black students, particularly in the areas of Hempstead, Uniondale, Baldwin and Roosevelt, going to local charter schools, especially in the elementary schools.
For example, the student population at Academy Charter School in Hempstead has grown from 422 in 2012-13 to 1,880 in the 2023-24, according to figures from the state Department of Education.
Some Black families have sent their children to private and parochial schools, or moved away, she said.
"Lots of Black families are migrating down to the Carolinas. They often do this just before their children head into middle school," Scott said.
Close ties in Wyandanch
Wyandanch also has seen its district shift from majority Black to majority Hispanic, the figures show.
Wyandanch has been home to multiple generations of Black families. It is considered among the poorest districts in the state. As Black students have received an education, many have left for better housing and jobs, interim Superintendent Larry Aronstein said.
Wyandanch, which educates some 2,677 students, saw its Black population fall from 56% to 31.6% in a decade, figures show. Meanwhile, the Hispanic student population rose from 42.3% to 66.7%.
The shift has created a continual need for bilingual teachers and those certified in ENL, Aronstein said.
"We've been trying to hire a bilingual teacher. We've advertised it three times since July, and we have no applications," he said.
For all the challenges, Aronstein said the overwhelming feeling in these ENL classes is happiness.
"These kids are highly motivated to learn the new language. They know that if they are going to succeed in their lives, they have to speak English," he said.
ENL teacher Jeannette Johnson-Schulze helps first-graders at Lafrancis Hardiman Elementary in Wyandanch. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
Many of the Hispanic and Black families have close ties to local churches, he said, so this school year the board of education will hold several meetings in them.
"It's kind of a community outreach," he said. "We're taking the show on the road."
Demand for bilingual staff in Lawrence
For all the population changes, each school district has its own story of change.
Ten years ago, the Lawrence district had a robust mix of students and was among the Island's high-performing districts on standardized tests. Since then, the number of white and Black students has dropped by about half, while the Hispanic share of the student body has risen from 46.9% to 69.9%, state education figures showed.
The area can broadly be split between those with a level of wealth and those in financial difficulty, Superintendent Ann Pedersen said. Numerous white students attend private Jewish schools, meaning their numbers are not counted among those in public schools, she noted.
"Now we do struggle with our scores," Pedersen said. "Many of the [Hispanic] students are first-generation students and families. They're just beginning their life in this country."
Recruiting bilingual teachers, counselors and other staff is a struggle, and the scarcity of these workers has made it an ongoing need, she said. All of the district's ENL teachers are certified, she said, but that's not the case for some other districts.
Newsday reported in July that the number of English-language learners on Long Island rose about 60% the past decade, to a total of 43,675. These students increased from 6% of the Island's student population to about 11% of the total Island enrollment, state figures show.
"Many districts, from what I see, complain the funding is not there" for more bilingual staff and resources for these learners, Irizarry said. "We need resources, yes, but are we having the conversations on what is needed? ... Do people see diversity as an asset or is it only a challenge?"
Growing Asian influence in Syosset
The Asian population in Island schools, while still relatively small, has increased by 50% since 2013-14, to the point where Asian students account for about 1 in 10 overall on the Island, state figures show.
Gordon Zhang, 50, recalls coming to Long Island in 1996 from China and seeing hardly any Asians here. He came to earn his doctorate degree in electrical engineering from Stony Brook University, he said.
"The place is beautiful. You're close to the city if you want to go to Broadway. There are top museums. It's far enough from the city," Zhang said.
Gordon Zhang has a son who attends Syosset High School. Credit: Rick Kopstein
He married in 1999 and later moved to Syosset, he said, and helped form the Long Island Chinese American Association in 2014. He now serves as its president. He moved to the hamlet of Woodbury for "a bigger house, a bigger backyard" in 2017, and now has a son, Alexander, in ninth grade at Syosset High School, he said.
Zhang said he's seen many changes on the Island, including districts adopting the holidays of the Lunar New Year, the Hindu festival of lights called Diwali, and the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the monthlong dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan.
Syosset is among those districts that have become majority Asian, with their share of the student body rising from 27.9% in 2013-14 to 50.4% in 2023-24, state figures show. Other majority Asian districts include Herricks, New Hyde Park-Garden City Park and Jericho.
Syosset is making progress in hiring a diverse faculty and staff, but more needs to be done, Zhang said.
"The faculty on Long Island doesn't match the students. Virtually all the teachers are white," he said. "Kids want to see teachers with similar backgrounds to themselves."
Syosset has a total of 677 teachers, of which 8.1%, or 55, are minority, according to state figures.
Syosset spokesperson Philomena Hefferon said the district has changed its recruitment to assemble the broadest pool of candidates, which has increased the diversity of the staff.
"By continuing to recruit inclusively and hiring the best candidates from every pool, we anticipate the composition of our faculty will increasingly mirror the demographics of our learning community, both benefiting our students and the community at large,” she said.
With Michael Ebert and Arielle Martinez
Craig Schneider is a Long Island native and Stony Brook University alumnus. He joined Newsday as a general assignment reporter in January 2018 after 20 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
