Facts re NYC’s School Capital Plan
NYC's class size reduction proposal, just recently approved by the state, calls for a reduction in average class size to no more than 20 in K-3 and no more than 23 in all other grades over the next five years.
This proposal represents a significant improvement – especially if achieved in all schools and communities citywide.
But there is no room in our schools right now to accomplish these goals, and the current capital plan would need at least twice as many seats – about 120,000 – to make this possible.
Based on the cost estimates in the plan, it would take only $138 million in annual payments to finance this number of seats, after 50% reimbursement from the state for new school construction.
This amounts to less than 3% of last year’s surplus, and less than one seventh what the Mayor gave back in tax cuts last year. Yet if current trends continue, NYC will spend a smaller percentage of its capital budget on schools than at any time in more than ten years.
The amended capital plan is coming up for comment before CECs in December; see my fact sheet here, that can be distributed to parents in your school or district:
For more information, or to request a briefing for your parent organization or community group, please contact Class Size Matters at 212-674-7320 or email leonie@att.net.
