C4E for Citywide

8/3/2019 C4E for Citywide

1/19

Contracts for Excellence:

New York Citys failures and violations of law

as regards class size

November 15, 2011

Leonie Haimson, Class Size Matters


2/19

Contracts for Excellence

In April 2007, NY State settled the Campaign for Fiscal lawsuit by passingthe Contracts for Excellence (C4E) law. State agreed to send billions inadditional aid to NYC & other high needs school districts; which they wouldhave to spend in six approved areas, including class size reduction.*

In addition, NYC had to submit a plan to reduce class size in all grades.

In fall of 2007, the state approved DOEs plan to reduce class sizes onaverage to no more than 20 students per class in K-3; 23 in grades 4-8 and25 in core HS classes.

In return, NYS has sent $2.4 billion in C4E funds to NYC since 2007.

*other allowed programs include Time on Task; Teacher & Principal Quality; Middle & HSRestructuring; Full-Day Pre-K; & Model Programs for English Language Learners


3/19

Yet despite citys promise, class sizes have risen

sharply in K-3; this year, the 5th year of CSR plan, byone student per class, far above C4E goals

This years class size data at http://schools.nyc.gov/AboutUs/data/classsize/classsize.htm

2120.7

20.520.3

20.119.9

21 20.9

21.4

22.1

22.9

23.9

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Baseline 2007-8 2008-9 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

NYC class sizes K-3actuals vs. C4E goals

C4E goals

Citywide actual


4/19

24.9

23.2

22.422.1

21.721.6

21.321.1

21.0 20.9

21.4

22.1

22.9

23.9

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

K-3 Class sizes largest since 1998(data sources: IBO 1998-2005; DOE 2006-11)


5/19

Also in grades 4-8,class sizes have continued to increase

far above C4E goals

25.6

24.824.6

23.8

23.3

22.9

25.6

25.125.3

25.8

26.326.6

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

students

perclass

NYC class sizes 4th-8thactuals vs. C4e goals

C4E target

Citywide actual


6/19

Also in HS: average class sizeshave risen far above goals

25.6

26.1 26.2

26.627

26

25.7

25.2

24.8

24.5

23

23.5

24

24.5

25

25.5

26

26.5

27

27.5

2007-8 2008-9 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12

students

perclass

HS core class sizesactuals vs. C4E goals

Actual

C4E targets


7/19

Why is class size important?

Class size reduction one of 4 reforms proven to work throughrigorous evidence, acc. to Inst. Education Sciences, research arm ofUS Ed Dept. *

Benefits especially large for disadvantaged & minority students, veryeffective at narrowing the achievement gap.

NYC schools have largest class sizes in state; in 2003, NYs highestcourt said students denied constitutional right to adequate educationas a result of excessive class sizes (Campaign for Fiscal Equitydecision).

86% of NYC principals say cannot provide a quality educationbecause of excessive class sizes.

Smaller classes are top priority of parents on DOE learningenvironment surveys every year.

*Other three K-12 evidence-based reforms, are one-on-one tutoring by qualified tutors for at-risk readers

in grades 1-3, Life-Skills training for junior high students, and instruction for early readers in phonemicawareness and phonics.


8/19

23.7

22.6

24.7

23.7

24.7

21.5

22

22.5

23

23.5

24

24.5

25

Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Bronx Staten I

2011 average K-3 class size by Borough


9/19

26.2

25.3

27.7

25.8

28.5

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Bronx Staten I

2011 average class size 4-8 by Borough


10/19

No. of Kindergarten students in very largeclasses has increased sharply

This year 42% (29797) of Kindergarten students inclasses of 25 or more (25 is UFT contractual max);

Last year, for 1st time since 2000, there were more Kstudents in classes of 25 or more than in classes of 20 orless;

This year, for 1st

time since 1999, there were as many Kstudents in classes of 20 or less (C4E goals) than inclasses HIGHER than 25.


11/19

58% 58%

39%

31%

20%

17%

20%

26%

33%

42%

30%

27%

16%

11%7% 6% 6%

8% 11% 16%8% 9%

23%

33%

41% 40%38%

27%

24%

16%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

% Kindergarten classes, large, very large &small since 1998

% at 25 or more

% over 25

% at 20 or less


12/19

Why is this important?

When Bloomberg first ran for office,promised that he would reduce class sizein grades K-3 to 20 or less.

Recent study shows that students insmaller classes in K are more likely to

graduate from college, own home andhave 401K3 more than 20 years later.*

*Raj Chetty et. al. How Does your Kindergarten classroom affect your earnings? Evidence from Project Star, NBER Working Paper 16381
http://www.classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Chetty-et-al3.pdfhttp://www.classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Chetty-et-al3.pdfhttp://www.classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Chetty-et-al3.pdfhttp://www.classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Chetty-et-al3.pdfhttp://www.classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Chetty-et-al3.pdfhttp://www.classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Chetty-et-al3.pdfhttp://www.classsizematters.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Chetty-et-al3.pdf


13/19

What happened to the C4Eprogram?

Despite more than $2 billion in C4E funds and higheroverall spending, city has cut school budgets about 14%since 2007.

Maintenance of effort provision in C4E law was ignored(city cut funding to schools when state increasedspending despite prohibition of supplanting)

Overcrowding in many schools worsened by growingenrollment & damaging co-locations.

C4E state funding never reached full level & has now

flat-lined or slightly decreased.


14/19

But even when state C4E spendingincreased; class sizes grew !

0

258

645 645

531

21 20.9

21.4

22.1

22.9

18

18.5

19

19.5

20

20.5

21

21.5

22

22.5

23

23.5

$-

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

$700

2006-7 2007-2008 2008-9 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012

C4Espending(inmillions)

K-3averageclasssize

C4E

goals


15/19

Why? administration had otherpriorities

Between 2002-9, while out-of-classroom positions grewby over 10 thousand, general ed classroom teachersshrunk by more than 1600.*

In 2010, there were 2,000 fewer teaching positions and18,000 more students.

This year, there are 2,500 fewer teachers and 20,000more students.

Spending on testing, contracts, consultants, and morebureaucrats have all risen sharply.

(including principals, secretaries, APs, literacy coaches, etc. NY Times, With More Money, City Schools AddedJobs, June 30, 2009).


16/19

But can we afford to reduce class size?

In 2009, DOE estimated that it would cost $358million per year to achieve average C4E class sizegoals across the city;

DOE estimated it would cost $448 million per year instaffing to achieve class size goals in ALL schools;plus more in capital costs for school construction.

This year, NYC is to receive more than $530 millionin C4E funds.


17/19

Other questions re citys plan

State ed allocated $530.8M in C4E funds to city thisyear. Yet citys plan only includes $348M; whathappened to rest of these funds?

Why did the city choose not to centrally allocate a pennyof C4E funds to class size reduction, given they had alegal obligation to lower class size ?

Only C4E district-wide initiative that DOE claims asclass size reduction is to expand CTT classes, which

does not lower class size.


18/19

Problems with public process

This year, C4E meetings happening too late in the school year;supposed to happen before money spent, so public can have input.

This yr., SED asked to pre-approve plan; but state law says citysplan should be submitted to state only after public hearingsoccurred, so that public comments can help guide decision as towhether plan needs changing.

C4E law requires for borough hearings as well as CEC

presentations; but DOE has refused to do this since 2008.

See letter to Commissioner King from CSM & UFT, pointing out themany violations of law in public process this year.


19/19

Contractual limits vs.C4E class size goals

UFT Contract limits

C4E Class Size goals

by 2011Kindergarten 25 19.9

1-3 grades 28 19.9

4-5 (Title 1

Schools)32 22.9

4-5 (Non-Title 1) 32 22.9

6-8 (Title 1

Schools)30 22.9

6-8 (Non-Title 1) 33 22.9

9-12 (core

classes)34 24.5

Documents

C4E for Citywide