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Why DOE’s C4E plan violates the language and intent of the law

Why DOE’s C4E plan violates the language and intent of the law. Karen Sprowal , Class Size Matters Presentation for CEC 20 Oct. 2, 2014. CFE and C4E.

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Why DOE’s C4E plan violates the language and intent of the law

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  1. Why DOE’s C4E plan violates the language and intent of the law Karen Sprowal, Class Size Matters Presentation for CEC 20 Oct. 2, 2014

  2. CFE and C4E • In 2003, the state’s highest court concluded in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) case that NYC kids were denied their fundamental constitutional right to an adequate education. • Primarily because their class sizes were much larger than NY state averages. • In 2007, a new state law was passed, the Contracts for Excellence (C4E) that would provide NYC with extra funds on the condition that the city also submit a plan to reduce class size in all grades. • Yet every year since then, class sizes have increased, and now in the early grades are the largest in 15 years!

  3. C4E law • In the city school district of the City of New York, include a plan that meets the requirements of clause (c)(2)(i)(a) of this section, to reduce average class sizes within five years for the following grade ranges: • prekindergarten through grade three; • grades four through eight; and • grades nine through twelve. • Such plan shall be aligned with the capital plan of the city school district of the City of New York and include continuous class size reduction for low performing and overcrowded schools beginning in the 2007-2008 school year and thereafter. • http://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/10013.html

  4. Reducing class size top priority of parents citywide and tied for #1 in D20

  5. DOE’s class size reduction plan • In Nov. 2007, the DOE submitted a plan to gradually reduce average class size over five years at three different grade ranges. • In K-3, class sizes would be reduced to no more than 20, in grades 4-8 no more than 23 and HS core classes would be no more than 25 on average • Yet each year since 2008, class sizes have increased rather than decreased and are now largest in 15 years in early grades.

  6. Class sizes in CSD 20 have increased in grades K-3 by 23.7% since 2006 above city averages, & are far above C4E goals Data sources: DOE Class Size Reports 2006-2013, 2008 DOE Contracts for Excellence Approved Plan

  7. CSD 20’s class sizes in grades 4-8 have increased by 4.1% since 2006 and are remain far above Contracts for Excellence goals Data sources: DOE Class Size Reports 2006-2013, 2008 DOE Contracts for Excellence Approved Plan

  8. Class sizes city-wide have increased in core HS classes as well, by 2.3% since 2007, though the DOE data is unreliable* *DOE’s class size data is unreliable & their methodology for calculating HS averages have changed year to year Data sources: DOE Class Size Reports 2006-2013, 2008 DOE Contracts for Excellence Approved Plan

  9. Examples of schools in CSD 20 with HUGE class sizes, K-3

  10. Why? Because DOE has cut back school budgets by 14% since 2007 • In the state C4E law, says these state funds must “supplement not supplant” city spending. • This means that the DOE cannot cut back its own funding to schools when the state increased its funding. But this is what happened, starting the first year of C4E. • This year, in its C4E plan, for the first time DOE admits supplanting – but also claims that the State Education Dept. has allowed it to do so. • “Expenditures made using C4E funds must ‘supplement, not supplant”’ funding provided by the school district; however, SED has provided guidance explaining that certain expenditures may be paid for with C4E funds even though these programs or expenditures were originally or have been typically paid for by the district or by other grants.”

  11. Other ways city has encouraged class sizes to increase • In 2010, the DOE eliminated the early grade class size reduction funding for K-3, despite promising the state to keep it as part of its C4E plan. • In 2011, the DOE refused to comply with a UFT side agreement to cap class sizes at 28 in grades 1-3, leading to sharp increases in these grades to 30 or more. • Co-locations have made overcrowding worse, and taken space that instead could have been used to reduce class size. • When principals try to lower class size, particularly in middle or high schools, DOE often sends them more students.

  12. More ways DOE has worked to increase class size in its C4E plan • DOE refuses to allocate any funds specifically towards class size reduction in its targeted C4E allocations. • DOE allows principals to use C4E funds to “Minimize growth of class size” which in not class size reduction. • DOE has never aligned its capital plan or the school utilization formula to smaller classes, contrary to the C4E law.

  13. School Utilization Rates at critical levels • Schools have become more overcrowded over last six years. • More than 480,000 students citywide attend school in extremely overcrowded buildings. • D20 Elementary schools 118.9% on AVERAGE – middle schools 96.4%, both above citywide average. • Brooklyn high school buildings have avg. utilization rate of 88.6%.

  14. Average Utilization Rates in CSD 20 compared to City-WideCSD 20 ES buildings have one of the highest utilization rates in the city at 118.9% Source: 2012-2013 DOE Blue Book

  15. Over-utilized ES buildings in CSD 20 and HS buildings in Brooklyn • 23 ES buildings in CSD 20 are over-utilized, meaning 100% utilization or higher. The seat need for these buildings is 4,610. • There are also 3 MS buildings that are over-utilized, with a seat need of 226 students. • In Brooklyn, 21 high school buildings are at or over 100% building utilization. The seat need for these buildings is over 9,000.

  16. 23 D 20 ES Buildings above 100% utilization -4,610 more seats needed just to bring district-wide AVERAGE to 100% Source: 2012-2013 DOE Blue Book *4,610 ES seats needed to reduce over-utilized buildings in D20 to 100% utilization

  17. 3 CSD 20 MS Buildings above 100% utilization *226 MS seats needed to reduce over-utilized buildings in D20 to 100% utilization

  18. 21 Brooklyn HS buildings above 100% Utilization - Source: 2012-2013 DOE Blue Book *9,207 seats needed in Brooklyn to reduce building utilization to 100%

  19. 3 Schools with TCUs in CSD 20 and 1 Brooklyn High School with TCUs • There are three schools with TCUs in CSD 20. These are PS 112 (1 TCU, 50 students), PS 170 (2 TCUs, 100 students), and PS 179 (3 TCUs, 70 students). • The total enrollment in trailers in CSD 20 is at least 220 students. • One Brooklyn high school, East New York Family Academy, has six TCUs with 12 classrooms and unknown enrollment.

  20. Only 4,000 New D 20 Seats in Capital Plan Enrollment Projections show 10,000-14,000 new students over next 10 years– not counting 4600 seats needed to bring current district average to 100% Enrollment projections estimate 10,661 to 14,784 new K-8 students in D20 by 2021 but only 4,045 seats seats are added in the capital plan.

  21. City-wide Enrollment Projections HS vs. New Seats in Capital Plan *Statistical Forecasting does not include D75 students; HS Seats in Capital Plan are categorized as IS/HS and does not include seats for class size reduction Source for Housing Starts: NYSCA Projected New Housing Starts 2012-2021, http://www.nycsca.org/Community/CapitalPlanManagementReportsData/Housing/2012-21HousingWebChart.pdf; Projected public school ratio, https://data.cityofnewyork.us/Education/Projected-Public-School-Ratio/n7ta-pz8k

  22. Bill de Blasio promised to reduce class size while running for Mayor • During his campaign, Bill de Blasio promised if elected to abide by the city’s original class size plan. approved by the state in 2007. • The Mayor needs to deliver on his promise and provide what NYC parents want and their children need. • He also needs to expand the capital plan to alleviate existing overcrowding, end ALL co-locations, and build more schools!

  23. Will you help us? • Sign up for the Class Size Matters newsletter. • Meet with your City Councilmembers; urge them to expand the capital plan and end all future co-locations. • Be pro-active about fighting for your children to receive their constitutional right to a sound basic education, by lowering class size. • Any questions, please email us at info@classsizematters.org

  24. Comparison of class sizes in Blue book compared to current averages & Contract for excellence goals *DOE reported HS class sizes unreliable

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