Hanif asks about Bronx DRIE enrollment decline analysis
Hanif asks what analysis capacity DOF has to examine enrollment decline causes, particularly in the Bronx, and Shear provides detailed breakdown showing deaths accounted for 56% of the 1,203 decline, non-renewals 225, moves 250, and 23 transfers to SCRIE, noting DOF loses contact with those who leave.
Is there, what kind of analysis capacity does DOF have to really look at what's causing an enrollment fall, particularly in the Bronx?
Yes, so we do have some more information regarding the Bronx.
I want to preface that by saying there are limits.
So when people leave the program, we lose touch with them.
They don't tell us why they are leaving the program.
But we have these figures regarding, let's see.
No, so this is regarding the decline of 1,200.
So I think the figures you are referring to is that re-enrollment peaked at 12,215 in 2019 and was 11,012 in 2024.
So we break it out this way.
That death was the largest reason for that decline, accounting for 669 of the 1,203.
That's 56%.
Non-renewals, 225.
So again, we don't know precisely the reason why people did not renew.
We're aware of 250 where tenants move residences, and we have 23 that transferred to the SCRI program.
And then for the...
The non-renewals,
Is there reason not to check in?
Well, we do check in.
What mostly happens is we do not hear anything further.
Got it.
We're very intent on making sure that people in the program who remain eligible renew.
It's very important for DOF that they renew.
We are proud of the fact that we have 95% retention rate, and we do that by sending many reminders.
Paper letters, emails, and also working with PEU with lists of people who have not yet responded.
Understood.