The Community Education Council for District 1 strongly believes in the importance of reducing class size both in our schools and across New York City (click here to view CEC1’s mission statement).
The 2016-2017 Preliminary Class Size Report is now available. Class Size Matters prepared a helpful chart for the CEC showing that average class sizes in D1 have decreased since last school year (from: 21.5 to 20.9 in K-3rd grade, and 24.7 to 22.4 in 4th-8th grade (and below the C4E goal of 22.9). Citywide, class sizes are still above C4E goals.
2014 Information
Below is a 2014 report from Class Size Matters – a NYC non-profit organization leading the charge in advocating for smaller class sizes locally and nationwide- that evaluates class size INCREASE in District 1.
“In 2003, NYS Court of Appeals held that NYC class sizes [were] too large to provide students with constitutional right to a sound basic education”
With the passing of the Contracts for Excellence law (C4E) in 2007 which allocated additional aid to high needs districts, NYC was required to produce a plan to actively reduce class room size in NYC public schools. Despite the C4E regulations, class size city-wide for grades k-3 is now the largest it has been since 1998. Additionally, class size city-wide for grades 4-8 are largest since 2002.
How does class size measure up in District 1?
* Grades k-3 have increased six years in a row, with an increase of 26% since 2002
* Grades 4-8 have increased by 11% since 2007