#untrying

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, together have made sweeping changes in New York City schools. Yet many people question their intentions and use of funds. Creating smaller class sizes, especially in the elementary grades, has long been a priority of most parents, teachers and lawyers in New York City. Many states and cities have passed laws that require smaller classrooms, such as the state of Florida. Studies have repeatedly shown that smaller classrooms improve student achievement, reduce teacher retirement, reduce student disciplinary problems and increase parent involvement. They have proved especially effective for the elementary grades, but smaller classrooms in secondary schools believed to reduce dropout rates, as well. Today New York City schools, classrooms are the largest in the state. The Court of Appeals ruled in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity case, that class sizes in New York City schools was too large to give students their "constitutional right to an adequate education." The public complains that the mayor plans to spend only two percent of the money received from trial to reduce class sizes in New York City schools, yet, he plans to spend ten times that of more school administrators and specialists. According to Gotham Gazette, the mayor and Klein undermine the reduction of classroom size in six major ways: o Ignores State Law - Since 1999, over 500 million dollars have been granted to New York City schools by the state to reduce class size. According to a review published in March by State Comptroller Alan Hevesi was only 20 extra classes in kindergarten through third grade was created last year, compared with 1586 classes in New York City schools officials said had been formed. The audit also showed that officials sharply cut the number of K-3 classes with nearly 900 during the last four years. The classes will now be 19.1 students per class, but they remain with 65 percent of students in classes with 21 pupils or more, and 26 percent in classes with 25 students or more. O Not allowing voters to decide - Over 100,000 New Yorkers have signed petitions last year to put an amendment on the ballot that would require at least 25 percent of the funds paid in New York City schools from the trial will be used for class size reduction. New York City school officials blocked the proposal, stating it was "improper" because New York City schools under the authority of state and need not comply with city laws. Many voters and groups advocating for grabs. O fewer new classrooms Seats are being created - Reporter Leonie Haimson believes the city risks creating more seats in new stadiums than in New York City schools during the Bloomberg administration. The following is the number of new sites added, as the Mayor's Management Report: 22 267 locations in fiscal year 2003, 12,921 years 2004, 8631 2005, 4287 in 2006, and 204 so far this year. Yet all five boroughs are experiencing a development boom in their neighborhoods. In other major cities across the country, developers are being required to provide schools and other community needs as part of their development projects. New York City has no such requirements. Therefore, there are fewer places with no expectation of more being added, although the trend is increasing. Oh no school plans for Governors Island - where the mayor was elected in 2001, he promised to bring a larger high school and university on the island, which has existing facilities sitting vacant, once used as classrooms. According to newspaper sources, are not discussing a plan for a school in that location, and the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation has been told to maximize the profit potential of the island. A new school on the island would have relieved a lot of congestion in the other secondary New York City schools. O More Charter Schools created - The mayor is planning to create up to 100 new charter schools, and New York City schools capital plan calls for 74 percent of them will be in the existing New York City school buildings. With the new charter schools that are currently used in New York City schools, classroom space, which means more congestion and more classrooms for the New York City schools. O New administrative positions - The creation of new administrative positions in New York City schools has exploded since the mayor was elected. The city comptroller found in 2005 that New York City schools had lost over 2,000 teachers without compensation within two years, additional crowd more students into each classroom. Educational Priorities Panel, said recently that the amount of money earmarked for education have steadily declined over the first four years of the mayor's administration. Meanwhile, the number of new administrative positions escalated, with only a slight decline in the administrators at the district level. Public concern over classroom sizes are growing, as the mayor and Klein seem to focus on other issues for New York City schools.