For Immediate Release

Klein releases school budgets

May 19, 2009 5:14 PM

On May 19, New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein released school budgets reflecting an average cut of roughly 5%. Citywide, the cuts total $405 million. Klein noted that city tax revenues are down, but added that federal economic stimulus funds are making the city’s situation more bearable and are helping to avert teacher layoffs even though the overall education budget is not being fully restored.

UFT President Randi Weingarten responded with the following statement:

Although the school budgets issued by the school system today do not, by any means, amount to a full restoration of items and services on the chopping block, getting the cuts down to the 3-to-4 percent range in this tough economy is a huge improvement over the prospective budgets that amounted to a 7 percent cut for schools. We at the United Federation of Teachers and other advocates who worked tirelessly and fought so hard in Washington and Albany for funding to minimize the brunt of expected city cuts will continue to seek budget restorations from the City Council in the weeks ahead. But we are still pleased to see that the Mayor and the Department of Education have gone a long way to protect the classroom and maintain services for students in these difficult times.