Who Takes Whom to School?

A proposal aimed at giving New York City extra time to meet school class size regulations was supposed to result in savings of $500 million. However, this plan didn’t make it into the state’s primary education budget proposal.

Despite strong opposition from influential teachers’ unions, lawmakers mentioned that the deadline extension would be considered a separate bill as the legislative session comes to a close.

The state’s 2022 legislation mandates that 80% of classrooms accommodate no more than 20 to 25 students by next year, depending on the grade level. Without a waiver, all classrooms will need to adhere to these limits by the 2027-2028 school year. Specifically, class sizes must be capped at 20 for kindergarten through third grade, 23 for grades four through eight, and 25 for high school.

Interestingly, the American Federation of Teachers defended the law for reducing class sizes, even while student enrollment is declining in the city’s school system. UFT President Michael Mulgrew pointed out that the Department of Education needs to establish a solid capital construction plan to create the necessary seats for decreasing class sizes.

Senator John Liu, who leads the committee overseeing New York City schools and is a proponent of the class size reduction law, mentioned that discussions are ongoing about amending the law. He said, “Negotiations are underway for a bill that would provide the city more time to meet class size caps, but we’re still waiting for a detailed plan on classroom construction and teacher hiring.”

Assembly Education Committee Chair Michael Benedetto shared optimism about reaching a compromise on class sizes before Congress takes a summer break. He noted, “I heard there may have been some agreement between the mayor and the UFT regarding this issue, but I’m not exactly sure what that agreement entails.” Benedetto also indicated that a standalone bill could be proposed, though he hasn’t received any updates yet.