CEC Resolution on Proposed Teacher Layoffs

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is calling on all Community Education Councils to adopt the resolution below urging the New York City Department of Education to reevaluate its spending to ensure that students are not affected by teacher lay-offs in the fiscal year 2012 budget.

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RESOLUTION:

Whereas, The Public Advocate of New York City is charged with overseeing City agencies; and

Whereas, Under Section 2590-e3 of New York State Education Law, Community Education Councils have the duty to promote achievement of educational standards and objectives relating to the instruction of students; and

Whereas, To address its financial problems for New York City fiscal year 2012, the New York City Department of Education plans to cut 4,400 teachers to save $350 million dollars; and

Whereas, The elimination of 4,400 teachers would increase class sizes, which already have increased over the last three years; and

Whereas, According to the Department’s 2010-2011 Updated Class Size Report, last year
elementary school classes grew by 4% to an average of 23.7 students per class and middle school classes grew by 3% to an average of 26.8 students per class; and

Whereas, The current proposal for layoffs would explode these increasing class sizes to new heights, especially in the 156 city schools that could lose at least 20% of their teachers.

Whereas, Research has shown that reduced class size can increase academic performance, especially in younger grades; and

Whereas, Massive teacher lay-offs would raise serious concerns regarding the quality of education provided to 1.1 million New York City public school students; and

Whereas, New York City cannot afford to jeopardize the education of its public school students, when only 60% of New York City students graduate on time; now therefore, be it

Resolved, That Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Community Education Councils___ call upon the Department of Education to re-evaluate it’s spending to ensure that students are not affected by teacher lay-offs in the fiscal year 2012 budget.