The independent Citizens' Commission on Planning for Enrollment Growth for New York City has concluded that the school system is experiencing explosive enrollment growth, and that current strategies are incapable of dealing with this growth. The only way to forestall a crisis is to increase classroom space significantly. Given current demographic trends, the enrollment of 1,016,000 students in 1993 will reach close to 1,250,000 by the 2002-03 school year. Recommendations for coping with this increase include: (1) implementation of a pilot plan to convert schools to a year-round calendar; (2) increasing relative use of leasing, rather than new construction, as a strategy to increase space; (3) expansion of efforts to form collaboratives with higher education and nonprofit organizations; (4) expanding the relocation of administrative offices from school space; (5) rezoning overutilized schools; (6) promoting interdistrict cooperation; (7) establishing magnet and special program schools in underutilized facilities; (8) reforming placement for special education; (9) using connections with the business community to find space; (10) seeking increased federal funding; and (11) establishing a bonding authority dedicated to school space. Eleven tables and five figures illustrate the discussion. Four appendixes provide supplemental information. (SLD)