NANCY BAILEY: Where’s the Biden Administration on School Problems Facing Students, Teachers, and Parents?

Where’s the Biden Administration on School Problems Facing Students, Teachers, and Parents?

Where’s the Biden Administration on School Problems Facing Students, Teachers, and Parents?

The pandemic showed us that public schools are critical. Understandably, Covid-19 has been front and center. But the Biden administration glosses over or is silent on critical school issues. Sometimes these topics are front and center not in a good way in State legislatures or ignored altogether.

Frustrated parents will seek alternatives, and there’s a real risk that public education will be no more.

Where’s the discussion? Here’s a list in alphabetical order. Your suggestions, ideas, or criticisms are welcome.

The Arts

How many children get access to art, music, drama, even dance in their public schools? We know that when students get the arts, they thrive.

Students artistically inclined who don’t get the arts in their schools will go elsewhere if their parents can afford private school. All students should have a quality arts program.

Why is this still an issue?

Charter Schools

The Biden administration mentions the importance of regulating charter schools, but CONTINUE READING: Where’s the Biden Administration on School Problems Facing Students, Teachers, and Parents?

CPAC: Why next year will be our best opportunity to lower class size in our schools | Class Size Matters

CPAC: Why next year will be our best opportunity to lower class size in our schools | Class Size Matters  | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes

CPAC: Why next year will be our best opportunity to lower class size in our schools

We gave this power point presentation to the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council on 5.6.21 on why next year, because of the big increase in state and federal funding, we will have the best opportunity to lower class size, at a time  when students will need smaller classes more than ever before.

Here it is a pdf below.

CPAC: Why next year will be our best opportunity to lower class size in our schools | Class Size Matters  | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes

NYC Public School Parents: How do you think NYC should spend $8 billion to improve our schools? Make your voice heard!

NYC Public School Parents: How do you think NYC should spend $8 billion to improve our schools? Make your voice heard!

How do you think NYC should spend $8 billion to improve our schools? Make your voice heard!

Class Size Matters is holding our annual Parent Action Conference on Sat. May 22 from 11 AM – 1 PM with NYC Kids PAC, to gain input from parents, teachers and others on how NYC should invest the $8 billion in additional state and federal funds our schools are due to receive in the next two to three years.

Please sign up here, and we”ll send you the Zoom link shortly before the event.

Then take our three-minute survey to express your spending priorities; whose results we will present at the conference.

NYC Public School Parents: How do you think NYC should spend $8 billion to improve our schools? Make your voice heard!

Sign the petition now!

Please use the additional state and federal funds to provide our kids with the smaller classes they will need next year!

Target: NYC Mayor de Blasio and the City Council

SIGN THIS PETITION

NYC Public School Parents: How do you think NYC should spend $8 billion to improve our schools? Make your voice heard!

Kathleen Cashin: How Schools Should Invest the Biden Windfall | Diane Ravitch's blog

Kathleen Cashin: How Schools Should Invest the Biden Windfall | Diane Ravitch's blog

Kathleen Cashin: How Schools Should Invest the Biden Windfall

Kathleen Cashin has been a teacher, a principal, and a superintendent in New York City in high-needs districts. She is currently a member of the New York State Board of Regents, which sets policy for the state.

In this article, which appeared in the New York Daily News, she explains her hope that school district will use their new money to invest in most successful school reform that works: reduced class size. (Mayor de Blasio, by contrast, says he wants to pour $500 million of the city’s windfall into more testing and tutoring.)

Cashin writes:

In 1999, when I was superintendent of the city’s District 23 in Ocean Hill Brownsville, fourth graders had to take a multi-faceted standardized state test for the first time, which included reading, writing and listening. The first thing I did was to reduce class size as much as possible.

The results were astounding. Not only were there significant gains in test scores the following year, but I noticed a stunning development: Students were able to forge closer relationships with their teachers, and their teachers had their morale lifted because no longer did CONTINUE READING: Kathleen Cashin: How Schools Should Invest the Biden Windfall | Diane Ravitch's blog

NYC Educator: Support Small Class Sizes (and Hire Regents Who Make a Difference)

NYC Educator: Support Small Class Sizes (and Hire Regents Who Make a Difference)

Support Small Class Sizes (and Hire Regents Who Make a Difference)

I'm glad to see Regent Kathleen Cashin advocating for smaller class sizes. I've got decades of experience teaching in both high school and college settings, and it's obvious to me that class size is a crucial factor in how effective my teaching is. In fact, it's even more important than the Danielson checklist my supervisor is forced to use when she observes my practice. I wouldn't expect a Regent to know that, because that's not what they do.

What exactly do they do? Generally, they seem to sit on their pedestals up in Albany in some building that looks like nothing more than Hogwarts. They sit passively as awful, inexcusable exams are put out in their name. Do they know what's in those exams? I'm gonna go out on a limb and doubt it. No thinking person could look at the English Regents exam and determine it tests anything more than the level of Common Coriness, hardly a skill I'd associate with being "college and career ready."

One of the worst experiences any teacher has is teaching to the test. It's particularly excruciating when you teach English language learners. Granted, Cashin gives valuable lip service to them in this article, and you can imagine how much I must appreciate that. This notwithstanding, I don't recall Regent Cashin (or any of her esteemed colleagues) raising a peep when direct English instruction was reduced for ELLs by a factor of 33-100%. So while it's great that perhaps they'll have smaller classes, what will they be learning?

Well, they could be prepping for the abysmal English Regents exam, which tests neither CONTINUE READING: NYC Educator: Support Small Class Sizes (and Hire Regents Who Make a Difference)

2 Easy ways to help make sure NYC kids get smaller classes starting next year! | Class Size Matters

2 Easy ways to help make sure NYC kids get smaller classes starting next year! | Class Size Matters | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes

2 Easy ways to help make sure NYC kids get smaller classes starting next year!

1.The Mayor released his proposed budget yesterday. Despite the crying need for smaller classes and the Council’s proposal to allocate $250 million for that purpose, instead he wants to spend $500 million for something called for “Intensive Academic Recovery for Every Student” which will cover tutoring and “universal academic assessments”, though he didn’t specify who would do the tutoring or what tests would be be used. Very disappointing.

Yet the good news is that Senator Robert Jackson, the original plaintiff in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit, has just submitted a bill, S. 6296 to require that DOE update and renew its obligation to develop and implement a five-year class size reduction plan, with additional accountability and transparency provisions  to ensure that they do.  Co-sponsors so far are Senators Brad Hoylman, Brian Benjamin and Julia Salazar.

Please call your State Senator today, either in their Albany or NYC office and leave a message saying,

My name is x, my phone no. is y, and I am your constituent Please sign onto Sen. Robert Jackson’s bill, S. 6296 , to require class size reduction in our public schools, so that my child and all NYC children will finally receive their right to a sound basic education, which the state’s highest court said cannot happen without smaller classes.

You can find their names and phone numbers by filling out your address here.

And then if you haven’t already, sign our petition to the Mayor and the City Council Speaker, urging them allocate $250M in next year’s budget to fund the first step of class size reduction, which will be necessary to ensure the health, safety and academic and emotional support that NYC kids will need more than ever.  It has about 550 signatures now, and it would be good to get to 1,000 before I send it off to them.

2. There was a great piece in Gotham Gazette yesterday which outlined the need for smaller classes as well as parent input into school reopening plans next year, co-authored by CM Brad Lander, NYC Kids PAC president Naila Rosario, and teacher Liat Olenick As they put it, “Smaller classes will help address covid fears and give remote-learning families more confidence to come back to school buildings, will help teachers meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of their students, and will improve educational outcomes in the long-term. It’s a win-win-win.”

On Saturday May 23, at 11 AM-1 PM,  Class Size Matters and NYC Kids PAC will co-sponsor a Parent Action Conference to gather your ideas on other ways that the $8 billion dollars in additional state and federal funds over the next three years should be spent. More info on this soon.

Yours,

Leonie Haimson
Executive Director
Class Size Matters
124 Waverly Pl.
New York, NY 10011
phone: 917-435-9329
info@classsizematters.org
www.classsizematters.org

2 Easy ways to help make sure NYC kids get smaller classes starting next year! | Class Size Matters | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes

NYC Public School Parents: The City Council has proposed $250 million for smaller classes next year!

NYC Public School Parents: The City Council has proposed $250 million for smaller classes next year!

The City Council has proposed $250 million for smaller classes next year!

The NYC Council has now proposed in its preliminary budget response that DOE allocate $250M next year for class size reduction. This amount would be used to hire 2500 new teachers, which could then reduce class size in as many as 10,000 smaller classes citywide, since each new teacher and class creates smaller classes for every other class in the same grade and/or subject in each school.

See the press release here and below, and an updated fact sheet here.

Now we have to ensure that the Council negotiates hard and the Mayor and the Chancellor  agree that this funding is included in the final budget.  How can you help?

First, sign our (slightly revised) petition, if you haven't already.  

Second, if you're a member of a CEC, PTA or other community organization, please consider passing this resolution, urging that at least $250 million be spent on class size reduction next year; please also invite us to your next meeting to do a presentation on how and why smaller classes are so critical.  

If you're not a CEC member, please consider sharing the resolution with your district CEC, Community board or other organization and urge them to approve it as well.  

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NYC Council proposes $250 million for class size reduction next year

In their Preliminary Budget Response, the NYC Council proposes that next year $250 million should be allocated to lowering class size, especially targeted towards struggling schools with vulnerable student populations. This would allow the Department of Education to hire an additional 2,500 teachers, which could lower class size in as many as CONTINUE READING: NYC Public School Parents: The City Council has proposed $250 million for smaller classes next year!

FAQ: Why NYC Schools should use infusion of new federal & state funds to lower class size next year | Class Size Matters

FAQ: Why NYC Schools should use infusion of new federal & state funds to lower class size next year | Class Size Matters 

FAQ: Why NYC Schools should use infusion of new federal & state funds to lower class size next year

Check out the fact sheet here or below.  If you support smaller classes, please urge your CEC or community group to support this resolution.  Please also sign our petition here.

FAQ: Why NYC Schools should use infusion of new federal & state funds to lower class size next year | Class Size Matters 

NYC Council proposes $250 million for class size reduction next year | Class Size Matters

NYC Council proposes $250 million for class size reduction next year | Class Size Matters  | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes

NYC Council proposes $250 million for class size reduction next year

In their Preliminary Budget Response, the NYC Council proposes that next year $250 million should be allocated to lowering class size, especially targeted towards struggling schools with vulnerable student populations. This would allow the Department of Education to hire an additional 2,500 teachers, which could lower class size in as many as 10,000 classrooms, as each new class that is formed can reduce class sizes in as many as four classes per school in the same grade and/or subject.

As the Council points out, when students return to full-time, in person learning, reducing class size will be imperative to provide additional learning support and help them catch up after a year of remote or blended learning.

The Council budget proposal also includes fully funding Fair Student Funding at about $605 million and $110 million to ensure that every public school has at least one full-time school counselor and one full-time social worker, as well as other programs and initiatives.

Council Member Danny Dromm, Chair of the Finance Committee said, “When I was a fourth-grade teacher at P.S. 199, I knew that with my class of 35 plus I was simply unable to meet the needs of all my students.  The fact that NYC teachers CONTINUE READING: NYC Council proposes $250 million for class size reduction next year | Class Size Matters  | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes

Testimony on need for federal funds to be used for smaller classes next year, for safety and for enhanced academic and social support | Class Size Matters

Testimony on need for federal funds to be used for smaller classes next year, for safety and for enhanced academic and social support | Class Size Matters  | 

Testimony on need for federal funds to be used for smaller classes next year, for safety and for enhanced academic and social support

City Council Education budget hearings were held yesterday.  See our testimony below, advocating for a billion dollars of the federal funds NYC will receive of the $2.5 billion be used for smaller classes below for the sake of health, safety and to address the damage done by more than a year of remote learning.

Testimony on need for federal funds to be used for smaller classes next year, for safety and for enhanced academic and social support | Class Size Matters  | 

NYC Public School Parents: Our testimony about why NYC kids will need smaller classes next year than ever before -- & the federal funding is available to achieve this

NYC Public School Parents: Our testimony about why NYC kids will need smaller classes next year than ever before -- & the federal funding is available to achieve this

Our testimony about why NYC kids will need smaller classes next year than ever before -- & the federal funding is available to achieve this

Council education budget hearings tomorrow start at 9:30 AM; public testimony starts at about noon.  You can watch and listen here, in Virtual Room 2.  

Our testimony advocating for a big chunk of the federal funds be used for smaller classes below for the sake of health, safety and to address the damage done by more than a year of remote learning.

NYC Public School Parents: Our testimony about why NYC kids will need smaller classes next year than ever before -- & the federal funding is available to achieve this

NYC Public School Parents: Please help us get smaller classes for NYC kids! Please sign our petition and testify on Tuesday!

NYC Public School Parents: Please help us get smaller classes for NYC kids! Please sign our petition and testify on Tuesday!

Please help us get smaller classes for NYC kids! Please sign our petition and testify on Tuesday!

Class Size Matters and NYC Kids PAC are advocating for one billion dollars of the approximately $2.5 billion in extra federal funds that NYC schools are due to get next year and the year after to be invested in smaller classes, for NYC students who will need them more than every before. This is a chance in a lifetime opportunity to ensure that enough funding is spent the right way to make a huge opportunity for NYC kids.   For more information, take a look at the fact sheet below.

If you agree, please sign our petition here; and sign up to speak at the Council's Committee on Education preliminary budget hearings next Tuesday March 23; public testimony via video starts at noon. You can sign up here at least 24 hours beforehand and/or send your testimony to testimony@council.nyc.gov up to 72 hours after the end of the hearing. Please copy the email to your own City Council member; you can find their names and emails by filling in your address here. Feel free to copy us at info@classsizematters.org 

 Here is sample text you can use, but please add any language you like: Hello, my name is ____ and I have a child in the ___ grade in [name of public school.] Please allocate one billion dollars of the federal funds for next year to class size reduction so that students can have the benefit of both social distancing and stronger academic and social support, which they will need next year more than ever before. Please make sure that happens, for the sake of my child and the other children in the NYC public schools. Yours sincerely, Name, address, email 

 

 

NYC Public School Parents: Please help us get smaller classes for NYC kids! Please sign our petition and testify on Tuesday!

Urge the Mayor and the Council to use a big chunk of the federal funds to reduce class size next year! | Class Size | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes

Urge the Mayor and the Council to use a big chunk of the federal funds to reduce class size next year! | Class Size Matters Urge the Mayor and the Council to use a big chunk of the federal funds to reduce class size next year! | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes

Urge the Mayor and the Council to use a big chunk of the federal funds to reduce class size next year!

Class Size Matters and NYC Kids PAC are advocating for  one billion dollars of the approximately $2.5 billion that NYC schools are due to get next year and the year after to be invested in smaller classes,  for NYC students who will need them more than every before.

This is a chance in a lifetime opportunity to ensure that enough funding is spent the right way to make a huge opportunity for NYC kids.

If you agree, please sign our petition here; and sign up to speak at the Council’s Committee on Education preliminary budget hearings next Tuesday March 23; public testimony via video starts at noon.

You can sign up here  at least 24 hours beforehand and/or send your testimony to testimony@council.nyc.gov  up to 72 hours after the end of the hearing.  Please copy the email to your own City Council member; you can find their names and emails by filling in your address here.  Feel free to copy us at info@classsizematters.org

Here is sample text you can use, but please add any language you like:

Hello, my name is ____ and I have a child in the ___ grade in [name of public school.]

Please allocate one billion dollars of the federal funds for next year to class size reduction so that students can have the benefit of both social distancing and stronger academic and social support, which they will need next year more than ever before.   Please make sure that happens,  for the sake of my child and the other children in the NYC public schools.

Yours sincerely,

Name, address, email

Thanks Leonie

Urge the Mayor and the Council to use a big chunk of the federal funds to reduce class size next year! | Class Size Matters Urge the Mayor and the Council to use a big chunk of the federal funds to reduce class size next year! | A clearinghouse for information on class size & the proven benefits of smaller classes

NYC Public School Parents: NYC DOE releases unreliable class size data three months late; please take our survey today!!

NYC Public School Parents: NYC DOE releases unreliable class size data three months late; please take our survey today!!

NYC DOE releases unreliable class size data three months late; please take our survey today!!

NYC parents, teachers and administrators please take our five-minute class size survey here. I'll explain why:

By law, the DOE is supposed to report on class sizes twice a year, the first time on Nov. 15 and then again on Feb. 15. We had heard from parents of egregiously large classes sizes this fall for many students engaged in remote learning of sixty students or even more, either full-time or part-time. See articles in NY Post, WSJ and Gothamist about this issue. 

So we realized it would be important for the DOE to report on disaggregated class sizes, i.e. in-person, vs. full-time remote, vs. part-time remote for blended learning students. On Oct. 28, Council Member Mark Treyger, chair of the Education Committee sent a letter to DOE, urging them to make the legal deadline of Nov. 15 and provide the disaggregated data. His letter is here which a Chalkbeat article reported on. 

At a press conference on Oct. 26, Chancellor Carranza said that schools had been reporting attendance to DOE in "literally three buckets of attendance every single day": in-person classes, remote blended learning classes, and full-time remote classes. So reporting the class size data in these three separate categories should not have been difficult CONTINUE READING: NYC Public School Parents: NYC DOE releases unreliable class size data three months late; please take our survey today!!