Comments opposing the authorization of the Great Oaks Charter School
Comments submitted to the State Education Department. You can also download the pdf of this document here. [scribd id=110560958 key=key-1ey5r9rxna7uhkfjrgff mode=scroll]
Testimonies & Comments
The need for the city to retain mandated reporting on class size and TCU’s
The Report and Advisory Board Review Commission, a body with four mayoral appointees and three City Council members, including Speaker Quinn, and Council Members Brewer and Comrie, will hold a public meeting on October 30, 2012, to vote on whether to eliminate 21 reporting requirements and advisory boards, including the DOE’s legally mandated reporting on […]
Testimony of Leonie Haimson before the Cuomo Commission on Education Reform (7.26.12)
On July 26, 2012, Ms. Haimson testified before the Cuomo Commission on Education Reform at Hostos College. For the fifth year in a row, public school parents voted smaller class sizes their top priority in the DOE learning environment surveys. However, NYC public school class sizes have steadily increased, even with increases in state funding. […]
Transparency and Accuracy in Reporting on Class Size Matters and TCUs: Testimony before the Report & Advisory Board Review Commission (5.11.12)
Leonie Haimson testified before the Report & Advisory Board Review Commission on May 11, 2012 about the need to continue the twice a year class size and annual Temporary Classroom Units (TCUs) reporting. The testimony is downloadable here and below. [scribd id=99847950 key=key-u0g278x1gneiseslv6g mode=list]
Testimony before the City Council Education Committee on the proposal to make Kindergarten mandatory and the special education initiative (6.12.12)
The following testimony on the possible impact of mandatory Kindergarten and the Special Education Initiative from Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters, was presented before the City Council Education Committee on June 12, 2012. Ms. Haimson first notes the surging class sizes which would erupt from the Department of Education’s Special Education Initiative […]
Failed strategies for “failing schools”: Testimony before the NYS Assembly Education Committee on the NYC’s Plan for Persistently Low Achieving Schools
Here and below is our testimony before the New York State Assembly on the city’s plan to close and “turnaround” struggling schools, given April 11, 2012. Summary: these strategies will not work, do not address the critical issues, including class size, and will further destabilize and undermine the education of our neediest students. [scribd […]
The Mayor’s unfulfilled promises to our children: testimony on the city’s five year capital plan for schools (3.26.12)
Our testimony is posted here and below. Summary: Thousands of seats are missing from this capital plan to be able to alleviate overcrowding, eliminate trailers, and reduce class size — all of which the Mayor promised to do in earlier years but has utterly failed to achieve. [scribd id=87885160 key=key-xjgoacyigo7vzzzt60v mode=list]
City Council hearings and CSM testimony on prelim FY13 education budget; more cuts to schools and larger class sizes next year?
Yesterday the NYC Council Education committee held preliminary hearings on the mayor’s proposed education operating budget. Here is a good report from NY1, here is the analysis of the budget by Council staff; here is my testimony [also shown below]. The proposed operating budget for next year, despite an overall increase in spending, would cut […]
Resolutions and comments on the flaws in process & results of the DOE’s Contract for Excellence “plan”
The DOE received over 100 public comments as well as many resolutions from Community Education Councils, protesting the city’s inadequate Contracts for Excellence and class size reduction “plan”. Resolutions were approved by CEC District 1 CEC District 3 CEC District 5 CEC District 20 CEC District 21 CEC District 22 CEC District 30 CEC District […]
Testimony on NYC DOE’s wasteful and corrupt technology contracts
This testimony is also available as a pdf here; for more on these hearings see our NYC Public School Parent Blog here. Testimony of Leonie Haimson, Executive Director of Class Size Matters Before the NYC Council Technology and Contracts Committees On the NYC Department of Education’s wasteful and corrupt technology contracts October 31, […]
You’re invited: Our Skinny Award dinner honoring Dr. Betty Rosa on June 18th!
Please join us on Wed. June 18 when we will honor Dr. Betty Rosa, former Bronx principal, District Superintendent, Board of Regents member and now NY State Education Commissioner for courageously standing up against the Trump administration on the importance of preserving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs in our public schools. Wine and food will be served!
Join our Annual Parent Action Conference on June 7th 2025!
Sign up here for our Annual Parent Action Conference on June 7th 2025, with keynote speaker Jamaal Bowman!
Donate to Class Size Matters!
Sign our petition on class size!
Sign here to urge NYC to implement a real, multi-year strategy to lower class size, as the law intends, without exempting up to half or more of all students.
Take our 5-minute class size survey!
Talk out of School: WBAI Sunday at 7 PM EST or as a podcast
Talk out of School radio show and podcast airs Sunday night at 7 PM on WBAI 99.5 FM or online at www.wbai.org when Leonie Haimson and Daniel Alicea interview guests and discuss issues affecting public schools in NYC, the state level and nationally. You can stream or subscribe to the podcast here; or at iTunes, Spotify or Google.
