2 Easy ways to help make sure NYC kids get smaller classes starting next year!

April 27, 2021

1.The Mayor released his proposed budget yesterday. Despite the crying need for smaller classes and the Council’s proposal to allocate $250 million for that purpose, instead he wants to spend $500 million for something called for “Intensive Academic Recovery for Every Student” which will cover tutoring and “universal academic assessments”, though he didn’t specify who would do the tutoring or what tests would be be used. Very disappointing.

Yet the good news is that Senator Robert Jackson, the original plaintiff in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit, has just submitted a bill, S. 6296 to require that DOE update and renew its obligation to develop and implement a five-year class size reduction plan, with additional accountability and transparency provisions  to ensure that they do.  Co-sponsors so far are Senators Brad Hoylman, Brian Benjamin and Julia Salazar.

Please call your State Senator today, either in their Albany or NYC office and leave a message saying,

My name is x, my phone no. is y, and I am your constituent Please sign onto Sen. Robert Jackson’s bill, S. 6296 , to require class size reduction in our public schools, so that my child and all NYC children will finally receive their right to a sound basic education, which the state’s highest court said cannot happen without smaller classes.

You can find their names and phone numbers by filling out your address here.

And then if you haven’t already, sign our petition to the Mayor and the City Council Speaker, urging them allocate $250M in next year’s budget to fund the first step of class size reduction, which will be necessary to ensure the health, safety and academic and emotional support that NYC kids will need more than ever.  It has about 550 signatures now, and it would be good to get to 1,000 before I send it off to them.

2. There was a great piece in Gotham Gazette yesterday which outlined the need for smaller classes as well as parent input into school reopening plans next year, co-authored by CM Brad Lander, NYC Kids PAC president Naila Rosario, and teacher Liat Olenick As they put it, “Smaller classes will help address covid fears and give remote-learning families more confidence to come back to school buildings, will help teachers meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of their students, and will improve educational outcomes in the long-term. It’s a win-win-win.”

On Saturday May 23, at 11 AM-1 PM,  Class Size Matters and NYC Kids PAC will co-sponsor a Parent Action Conference to gather your ideas on other ways that the $8 billion dollars in additional state and federal funds over the next three years should be spent. More info on this soon.

Yours,

 

Leonie Haimson
Executive Director
Class Size Matters
124 Waverly Pl.
New York, NY 10011
phone: 917-435-9329
[email protected]
www.classsizematters.org