For a word document you can print out, click here:
What can a parent do?
Frequently asked questions on class size in NYC schools
2009 -2010 school year
As every parent knows, a reasonable class size is an important factor to ensure a quality education. Unfortunately, our class sizes continues to be the largest in the state, and in a recent survey, 86% of NYC principals said that they were unable to provide a quality education because of excessive class sizes.
As a result of a state law passed in April 2007, the city is mandated to be reducing average class sizes in all grades. Nevertheless, the Department of Education has so far refused to comply with the law, and last fall, class sizes increased citywide – by the largest amount in ten years. This year class sizes are expected to increase again, because of budget cuts to schools. What can a parent do? Here are some suggestions.
What are the current class size limits? Are they set by the teacher contract? What if they are exceeded?
Yes. The UFT class-size limits are as follows:
• 18 in pre-kindergarten
• 25 in kindergarten
• 28 in 1-3 grades
• 32 in 4-6th grades
• 30 in Title I middle schools
• 33 in non-Title I middle schools
• 34 in academic classes in high school
• 50 in physical education classes in middle and high schools
• 50 in music classes in high schools
The teacher or chapter leader at your school must “grieve” or complain to the DOE if class sizes exceed these levels, and the DOE sometimes takes weeks to address these violations. There are also allowances with "breakage," meaning if there aren’t enough students to form a new class at least half as large as the limit for that grade, the principal can choose not to form a new class.
In any case, if your school has class sizes above these levels, you should contact your UFT chapter leader immediately and ask if s/he plans to grieve. If you don’t know who s/he is, ask your PTA president or parent coordinator. And please let me know immediately at leonie@att.net; I may be able to help.
Can fundraising efforts pay for classroom teachers? Classroom assistants? Enrichment teachers?
Official policy has long been that PTA funds cannot be used to hire classroom teachers to reduce class size, though these funds can be used to hire enrichment teachers and/or classroom assistants. Parents in some schools contribute funds for "assistant teachers" in grades K and up, to work alongside regular teachers. In some schools, their salaries come out of general PTA funds; in others, parents of children in specific grades are asked to contribute a set amount. The DOE and UFT recently made an agreement that parents can continue funding these positions. For more on this, see http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/education/31aides.html
What are other sources of funding that can be used to make classes smaller?
• Title One funds (federal funds for schools with large numbers of poor students) can be used to reduce class size. By federal law, parents are supposed to have a voice in how these funds are spent. Here is a link to see how much Title One funding your school is receiving:
• State funds for schools that are on the failing (SURR) list or recently came off the list can also be used for smaller classes.
• Early grade class size reduction (EGCSR) funding. The city receives substantial state and federal funds that are supposed to be used to reduce class size in grades K-3. You can check this excel file to see if your school is receiving these funds, and in what grades. If so, classes in these grades are supposed to be kept to twenty students or less. Contact me if they aren’t.
• Contract for Excellence (C4E) funding. Additional state funds began flowing to NYC in the fall of 2008, as the settlement of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit. These funds can be used for specific purposes, one of which is class size reduction. For more information on this program, see http://schools.nyc.gov/AboutUs/funding/c4e/default.htm
The overall city proposal for 2009-2010 (not yet approved by the state) is here;
School by school allocations are here: http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/4153EB8E-6CB5-403E-87E0-F57DC2F5429E/0/FY10ProposedC4EAllocations_ComprehensiveBySchool.xls
If your school is receiving C4E funds for class size reduction, under the C4E strategy of
“New Classroom” (as opposed to "Reduced teacher/student ratio"), class sizes should be smaller – and certainly much smaller than the contractual limits.
There is also a separate list of specific schools for which the DOE has made specific promises to the state to reduce class size, with annual class size targets. They are mostly middle and high schools with very large class sizes. See if your school is on this list here and if so, let me know right away:
http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/9C8F083F-8957-469D-94C4-C5A5A724F6DF/0/NYCDOECSRP5YR_YR2_FINAL_Chart6.pdf or: http://tinyurl.com/kuz3n9
Check out the class sizes in the column under “projected year two”. If your school is on this list, let me know.
Are there any other rules limiting class size, such as space requirements?
Yes, though these rules are rarely enforced. Each kindergarten student is supposed to have at least 35 square feet of space in a class of no more than 25 students. Thus, the capacity of a 700-square-foot classroom is 20 students, and the capacity of a 1,050-square foot classroom is 25 students; a classroom more than 1,050 sq. ft. only has a capacity of 25 students, no matter how much larger it is.
For first through third graders, each student is supposed to receive 20 sq. feet, to a maximum of 25 students per class. Thus a classroom of 500 square feet or more has a capacity of 25 students.
For fourth through ninth grade, classrooms are supposed to have 20 sq. ft. per student, with no more than 31 students per room (or 29 for Title I schools). Thus a classroom of 620 square feet or more will have an official capacity of 31 students. The capacity formula also includes adjustments for room use, type of student and other factors.
Any questions? Please contact Leonie Haimson, Class Size Matters at leonie@att.net or classsizematters@gmail.com or call 212-674-7320. In any case, let me know what your child’s class sizes are this year.
And please subscribe to our email list, for the latest updates on class size and related issues by sending an email to classsizematters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Prepared by Leonie Haimson, Sept. 2009
