The president of New York City's teacher's union is putting pressure on the Department of Education to make the state's class size law — which limits the number of students per classroom — a reality, and fast.
The teacher's union says class sizes are still too big, despite a recent law now on the books. According to that law, the required class sizes for grades are:
- Kindergarten to third grade: 20 or fewer students
- Fourth to eighth grade: 23 or fewer students
- High school (ninth to twelfth grade): 25 or fewer students
The state's Department of Education has five years to implement the reductions outlines in the relatively new law. But the union said there's no reason the changes can't happen immediately.
The United Federation of Teachers said Tuesday that there is enough space at more than 850 high-need public schools to make the changes happen by September, the start of next year's academic calendar.
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"It’s about time to roll up our sleeves and get this done it’s been decades since children of New York City had the same class size as the rest of the state," said UFT President Michael Mulgrew, noting that the findings came after an analysis of DOE documents.
The DOE told NBC New York that the union's calculations appear to exclude pre-K and 3-K in some of the buildings.
"The law required that 20% of classes meet the class size mandate this year and we met that requirement. The law requires that 40% of classes meet the mandate next year, and we are on track to meet that requirement with some new policies for next year," a spokesperson told News 4.
Mulgrew said that with the new state budget directing the city to make smaller classes a priority, and with funding available, it can be a reality sooner rather than later.
"The law is specific, it says New York City will fund each individual school with additional funding so it may come into compliance with the class size law," according to Mulgrew.
The union president said about 3,000 additional teachers would need to be hired for their plan. While the DOE has said that up to 6,000 teachers are hired each year, they replace teachers who left the system.
Parents and caregivers just want what will most help their kids succeed.
"I’m glad this law is coming into effect and 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 a second-grader in Flatbush. "There’s about 25 to 30 kids in the 2nd grade and half of those kids don’t speak English. I don't know, it’s tough."
The Education Department told NBC New York it has been in constant engagement with the teachers and principals unions, and will continue to stay in compliance with the law.
