An open letter about class sizes of 35-36 in 2nd grade at PS 85 in Queens
Class sizes last year in the early grades have steadily grown and last year were the largest in 15 years. Unfortunately, the de Blasio administration has done nothing to reverse this damaging trend -- despite specific promises he made during his campaign --and refuses to allocate specific funds either from the state or the city to reduce class size. The UFT contractual limits have also gone unchanged in 40 years -- though a few years ago, the DOE stopped recognizing a "side agreement" to cap class sizes at 28 in grades 1-3. As a result the number of children in classes 30 or more have ballooned in these grades. Here is a letter from a parent leader I received today. I fear more such reports once school starts.Attn: Chancellor Fariña, Class Size Matters, NYC City Council, et. al.
To Whom It May Concern:
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Randi Marshall and I am a parent at PS 85Q in Astoria. I have recently learned that the DOE has decided that our 2nd grade classes should be 36 and 35 students respectively - with no teaching assistant, despite UFT guidelines that say 32 is the absolute limit.
This is completely unacceptable and will set our children up to fail. It will create a chaotic learning environment, where no teacher can truly teach and no student can truly learn.
The principal of PS 85Q was prepared to create a third general education second grade classroom to allow for smaller class sizes; she even selected a new teacher, who has set up her classroom. But just this week, our principal learned that the DOE would not be approving the budget needed for NYC Public School Parents: An open letter about class sizes of 35-36 in 2nd grade at PS 85 in Queens: