NYC Schools Launch Daily Meditation Programs This Fall

New York City schools introduced mindfulness meditation blocks in 215 classrooms this month as part of a Department of Education pilot that began in District 15.

Student mental health reports filed with the city showed a 22 percent rise in anxiety referrals between 2023 and 2025, prompting administrators to seek low-cost classroom tools that fit between math and reading periods.

Brooklyn and Manhattan sites

At P.S. 321 in Park Slope, third-grade students now spend eight minutes after lunch on guided breathing exercises led by classroom teachers trained through the Inner Resilience Program. The school sits two blocks from the Union Street entrance to Prospect Park, where some sessions move outdoors when weather allows. Across the river, the Manhattan School for Children on West 108th Street near Central Park West runs a similar sequence every Tuesday morning for grades four through six, using scripts developed with the Calm Classroom curriculum.

Both sites received start-up kits that include floor mats and audio files loaded onto school tablets. Teachers at P.S. 321 completed a 12-hour certification course last spring at the Brooklyn Zen Center on Atlantic Avenue.

Numbers and next steps

A 2025 internal Department of Education memo recorded a 31 percent drop in office referrals for disruptive behavior in the 48 schools that piloted the program during the prior year. Each participating student is charged a $28 materials fee for the school year, though waivers are available through the school’s parent coordinator. Families can request placement by emailing the principal before the September 8 deadline.

Parents who want to see the practice in action can attend an open classroom session at either school on the second Wednesday of each month. The Department of Education plans to release an updated list of participating buildings by August 15.