UFT members as well as parent advocates have started faxing their legislators demanding that a significant portion of any CFE settlement be targeted towards reducing class size in every grade, K-12. You can be part of the campaign and fax your legislators by going to the UFT’s website. Please also forward the link to the fax petition to your friends, colleagues and other public education advocates.
1 Comment:
1 phyllis c. murray
· Jan 11, 2007 at 7:07 am
DONE!
January 11, 2007
Dear Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr:
Now that New York City schools have both a court decision, and a governor willing to enforce it, CFE funding may finally be a reality. We must use the money wisely on proven methods to get the best results. Of course, our schools need many improvements, but investing in reducing class sizes in every grade, K-12, will yield the highest return.
Research has demonstrated beyond a doubt that children learn better in smaller classes. Yet New York City classes are often 50 percent larger than comparable classes in the rest of the state. For instance, Math A Regents classes in the city average 33 students; elsewhere they average 20 in a class. The state’s highest court found that class sizes in all grades were too large to provide New York City children with the “sound, basic education” required by the state Constitution. And the new class size numbers the City Council requires shows the situation getting worse, not better.
The proven advantages that smaller classes provide include:
—Fewer student disruptions, enabling teachers to offer more effective instruction without interruption;
—More individualized instruction;
—Improved student achievement and graduation rates;
—Better attraction and retention of qualified teachers;
—More student engagement and less anonymity in the classroom;
—Better teacher ability to keep in touch with parents.
The time is now. We can — and we must — tackle the high class size problem that plagues so many of our public schools. I urge you to make small class sizes your #1 education-budget priority this session by requiring that a significant portion of the CFE funds be used in New York City to reduce class sizes in all grades.
Sincerely,
Phyllis C. Murray
UFT Chapter Leader
Bronx, NY