2024-05-08 06:09:47
NEW YORK – The president of the New York City teachers union is pushing the Department of Education to quickly make the state’s class size law, which limits the number of students per classroom, a reality.
The teachers’ union says class sizes are still too large, despite a recent law now in effect. Under that law, the required class sizes for grades are:
- Kindergarten to third grade: 20 or fewer students
- Fourth through eighth grade: 23 or fewer students
- High School (9th to 12th grade): 25 or fewer students
The state Department of Education has five years to implement the reductions outlined in the relatively new law. But the union said there was no reason the changes might not happen immediately.
The United Federation of Teachers said Tuesday there is enough space in more than 850 high-needs public schools for the changes that might take place in September, the start of next year’s academic calendar.
“It’s time to roll up our sleeves and do it; it’s been decades since kids in New York City had the same class size as the rest of the state,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew, noting that the findings they emerged following an analysis of DOE Documents.
The DOE told NBC New York that the union’s calculations appear to exclude preschool and 3-K in some of the buildings.
“The law requires 20% of classes to meet the class size mandate this year, and we’ve met that requirement. The law requires 40% of classes to meet the mandate next year, and we’re on track to meet that requirement with ‘ some new policies for next year,” a spokesperson told NBC 4.
Mulgrew said with the new state budget directing the city to make smaller class sizes a priority, and with funding available, it might be a reality sooner rather than later.
“The law is specific, it says that New York City will fund each individual school with additional funds so that they can comply with the class size law,” according to Mulgrew.
The union president said around 3,000 additional teachers would need to be hired for his plan. While the DOE said up to 6,000 teachers are being hired each year, they are replacing teachers who have left the system.
Parents and caregivers only want what will help their children succeed the most.
“I’m glad this law is going into effect and I hope it happens quickly…She can’t get that direct attention when you have 30 kids in a class,” said Martine Baron, whose granddaughter is in second grade at Flatbush is. . . “There are 25 to 30 kids in the second grade and half of those kids don’t speak English. I don’t know, it’s hard.”
The Department of Education told NBC New York that it has been in constant contact with the teachers’ and principals’ unions and will continue to comply with the law.
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