NYC class sizes increase for the second year in a row; unlikely DoE will comply with the law if current trends continue
Nov. 18, 2023
Dear all:
The new class size data for the current school year was released by the NYC Department of Education on Wednesday, showing an increase in average class sizes across all grade levels, as we predicted. For elementary and middle schools, this is the second year in a row that average class sizes have increased.
The data also reveals a continued decline in the percentage of classes that comply with the caps in the new state law — of no more than 20 students per class in grades K-3, 23 students per class in grades 4th– 8th, and 25 students per class in core academic classes. The total percentage of classes that achieve these caps fell from 42.4% in 2021-22, to 39.3% last year, to 36.9% this year.
At this rate, NYC will NOT meet the 40% compliance required by the law for next year, especially as the DOE has made no changes in budgeting, space planning, enrollment or the capital plan to reverse this dismal trend.
In fact, the reverse is happening: Even though overall enrollment increased this year, the new proposed five-year capital plan for FY 2025-2029 would cut $2 billion in new capacity compared to the current plan, and more than 20,000 seats. The vast majority of these seats — 77% — are completely unidentified as to borough, district, or grade level. This level of secrecy is unprecedented and particularly disturbing, given the need for a transparent analysis of where new schools will be needed. More info, including charts on the CSM website here.
In addition, the Mayor is now going forward with $547 million in cuts to DOE’s overall budget, as well as making midyear cuts to the budgets of over 600 schools in which enrollment declined more than projected. The $547 million in overall DOE cuts are supposed to be the first round of cuts which will add up to more than $2 billion in next year’s budget.
There is no way with cuts this large that class sizes will not continue to increase even more sharply in the years ahead – unless the City Council or the State Education Department forces DOE to do better. More on that soon.
- In other news, I will be leading a workshop tomorrow , Sat. Nov. 18, at the Queens parent conference on the new class size law and what the DOE should be doing to comply, and another workshop on student privacy. Registration starts at 8:30 AM at the UFT Queens borough office at 118-35 Queens Blvd., 8th floor in Forest Hills. (Take the E or F to Kew Gardens). Please join us! If you want a similar presentation for your CEC or other community group, please let us know.
Leonie Haimson
Executive Director
Class Size Matters
124 Waverly Pl.
New York, NY 10011
phone: 917-435-9329
leonie@classsizematters.org
www.classsizematters.org
Follow on twitter @leoniehaimson
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