According to a report in the New York Post, attendance at New York City’s kindergartens has plummeted.

This year saw 11,900 fewer children signed up for kindergarten than in 2016-17, a 17% decrease.

In contrast, charter schools recorded a 20,000 increase in kindergarten attendance over the same period, an 18% increase.

It is part of a larger trend that has seen an overall decline in attendance at public schools across the city. But with kindergarten declines leading the way, it is an ominous warning of what lies ahead for public schools.

Why is this happening?

It seems parents are tiring of public schools that are more interested in brainwashing kids with the latest left-wing cultural and political agenda, often union driven, than actually teaching children how to read, write and do math.

As the New York Post explains in its article:

“Again, it’s easy to see why: In the 2021-22 school year, charters boasted higher proficiency rates on state tests among their third- through eighth-grade kids than traditional schools: 46.3% vs. 37.9% in math and 55.3% vs. 49.0% for reading.

And this is happening despite New York City having one of the highest per-capita public school spending in the nation.

The New York Post editorial also notes that in an effort to stop the exodus from public schools, some districts have actually capped the number of students that can attend a charter school. This has resulted in tens of thousands of students being trapped on waiting lists to get in.

READ: Plunging kindergarten enrollment highlights what’s driving kids out of NYC schools