Testimony submitted by the UFT to the New York City Council Committees on Education and Finance
Good afternoon, Councilman Dromm and members of the Education committee. The United Federation of Teachers wants to thank Speaker Mark-Viverito, Chairman Dromm and the entire City Council, not only for your leadership, but also for your strong advocacy on behalf of our public school communities.
Every time the Council puts itself on the line by taking on the so-called education reformers pushing their own ideological and profit-based agendas, it is making a positive difference in the lives of children. But even more than that, every time you visit a school in your district or stand up for public schools, you’re showing how much you care for that community — the students, their parents and the teachers who have dedicated their careers to helping children.
What a difference a year makes. With a new mayoral administration and new Council leadership come new possibilities, new opportunities and a new positive direction for our schools. We finally have a Department of Education that worries less about pushing harmful political agendas and more about helping students and teachers succeed. It’s a welcome change in tone and priorities.
These changes couldn’t come at a more opportune time, and our members were heartened to hear that Speaker Mark-Viverito’s list of budget priorities includes fulfilling the promise of a sound basic education. Record income inequality, misguided policies and a lack of support have inflicted significant damage on our schools and education workforce. What’s more, while the Bloomberg administration can claim it increased education funding during its tenure, much of that went to the central bureaucracy, not to the schools.
The fact of the matter is that schools were forced to make many cuts over the years as money was reallocated away from classrooms, leaving students unable to get the academic intervention services that they desperately need. Two-thirds of students are still not receiving an arts education that meets state guidelines, according to a recent audit by State Comptroller diNapoli, and half of our teachers citywide told us in a recent UFT survey that their schools did not have the curriculum and materials they need to teach lessons aligned to the Common Core Learning Standards. What’s more, class sizes continue to rise across the board, exacerbating overcrowding in buildings that also remain in need of both interior and exterior renovations.
On top of all that, our union’s research shows us that more than 32,000 New York City teachers left — not retired, but quit — during the Bloomberg years, many leaving for teaching jobs on Long Island and the counties to the north, or moving on to other careers entirely.
But despite all the challenges, UFT members have never wavered in their commitment to helping students learn and grow. As school budgets shrank and as the DOE failed to provide proper curriculum or materials, it was teachers who saved the day by overcoming those obstacles and giving children a first-class education.
It’s about time that we have an administration that agrees that our schools must be properly funded and teachers must be given the respect and support they need. Here are eight ways to do just that:
Review Agreements and Contracts
Speaker Mark-Viverito’s commitment to a true forensic analysis of the budget and a substantive conversation about supporting best practices will be a welcome change after years of smoke and mirrors from the Bloomberg administration.
As the city’s budget process begins, this is a perfect time for the new administration to conduct a deliberate, transparent and informed review all of the no-bid DOE contracts and other agreements that were signed in recent years. Any programs that are found to be wasteful, inefficient or of no direct benefit to students should be reconsidered, with a concerted effort made to end the practice of spending millions of dollars on programs and initiatives that don’t directly support classroom learning. No-bid contracts should be reserved only for extraordinary situations.
Computer systems and programs such as SESIS, which have never worked properly and tie the hands of our members, should also be reviewed and, if necessary, fixed or eliminated.
It’s time to stop subjecting students to relentless test prep and focus on the programs and services that we know will help them succeed. We all want our students to receive a solid, well-rounded education that includes the arts, science and leadership opportunities; and we all want our struggling students to have access to academic intervention and guidance services as they learn and grow.
Reinvest in Schools and Teachers
This is the time to reinvest in our schools and in those who work in our schools in a fiscally responsible manner that does right by both the taxpayers and the school communities. The governor has proposed increasing state school aid by 3.1 percent this year, and while that’s a good start, it doesn’t come close to compensating for the billions of dollars that were due to New York City schools under the Campaign for Fiscal Equity settlement. That’s why the UFT and its partners, including members of this Council, have been working hard in Albany to make the case for additional state aid. Thank you for that effort.
We support the State Assembly’s plan to increase Governor Cuomo’s direct school aid proposal by an additional $400 million. That additional aid will help support everything from bilingual education and school libraries to reductions in class size. We will be fighting hard for that funding in Albany over the next few weeks.
We are also encouraged by indications that the de Blasio administration will go after the millions of dollars in federal Medicaid reimbursements for special education services and busing that the Bloomberg administration left on the table year after year. The funding collected by the city actually decreased last year, but if done correctly, available revenues are estimated to be $137 million next year and even more the year after that.
Likewise, we’re also happy to see the attention now being paid to the discriminatory nature of the city’s real estate taxes, which experts believe favor high-income neighborhoods. The city is currently leaving a significant amount of money on the table and could be generating an additional $2 to $4 billion a year, according to the Citizens Budget Commission.
Quality Prekindergarten
We commend both Mayor de Blasio and this Council for their strong commitment to expanding access to universal pre-K. It’s an initiative that will have far-reaching social and economic benefits for our communities, and Mayor de Blasio has put forward a comprehensive plan to make that dream a reality.
The case for UPK is undeniable. Providing families with access to universal, high quality, full-day pre-K is among the most important things we can do to help prepare young children, especially those living in poor communities, for school and beyond.
Teacher's Choice Funding
For many teachers, not only is coming in early and staying late part of the job, but so is spending their own money on classroom supplies for their students. A recent UFT survey found that teachers routinely spend $500 on average every single year for additional basic supplies such as crayons and folders and extras like certificates and bookmarks. This past year, the City Council was able to provide teachers with a small amount of Teacher’s Choice funding. We ask the Council to increase its commitment this year.
Support Community Schools
Less than two years ago, the UFT announced the creation of a small group of Community Learning Schools, shaping a New York City model for delivering sustainable wraparound services to schools that educate poor and underserved communities. To help us do this important work, we formed a coalition of partners, including the City Council, which helped supply critical seed money for the initiative. Two years later, with 16 schools operating under this model, the results are already exceeding our expectations. We urge the Council to again support this initiative.
Intervention Services for Schools
Another initiative that we are particularly proud of is the Institute for Understanding Behavior, a joint venture involving the UFT, the DOE and Cornell University. The Institute provides training and direct school support for teachers and administrators to understand, assess and support struggling students and create positive and responsive school communities. The goals include a reduction in student disciplinary incidents and suspensions and improvements in school attendance and student achievement. Eight schools are participating in the program this year, and dozens more are on the waiting list. With additional funding, we will be able to expand the program to accommodate more schools.
Resources for Children Who Are Being Bullied
The BRAVE anti-bullying hotline, another program that relies on Council support, is an invaluable resource for students who are being bullied as well as for parents and teachers who are trying to help them. LifeNet counselors take calls and respond to text messages on afternoons and evenings each day after school. Sponsored by the UFT and administered by the Mental Health Association of NYC, the phone line can be kept open for another year with additional funding.
School Meals
The UFT also places a high priority on children's nutritional needs and the importance of school meals in meeting those needs. Our members see firsthand the effects of hunger and poor nutrition among students: academic performance, attendance, health and behavior all suffer. In almost any school, you will find teachers who keep snacks on hand in order to keep their children fed and focused.
In many of our Community Learning Schools, we have developed a partnership with Food Bank For New York City to establish campus pantry programs so that children are able to have nutritious food at home as well.
The UFT is a core member of the Lunch 4 Learning Campaign for universal school lunches, and we support the proposal to put the necessary funds in place to eliminate the barriers that currently keep all children from accessing the nutritious lunches available in schools every day.
We support widespread implementation of Breakfast after the Bell, including broader adoption of Breakfast in the Classroom. These important programs help to reduce the stigma for students associated with availing themselves of free or reduced-price lunch or having to come to school early to receive a free breakfast. By expanding Breakfast after the Bell and implementing universal school lunch, we can significantly increase participation in these programs that we know help improve student performance.
A modest city investment of $20 million for school lunch would draw down an additional $59 million of federal funds and would lead to an estimated 120,000 additional students eating a school lunch every day. We appreciate the City Council’s advocacy for these programs and look forward to the Department of Education working with school stakeholders to implement these important programs.
Closing Thoughts
We’re just beginning to reverse years of budget cuts to schools that reduced or eliminated programs and services that children need. Now, with a new mayor and a new Department of Education, we have an opportunity to repair that damage, but we need resources to achieve genuine change.
Thank you again for your support for our schools and our members. We look forward to working with you in the months ahead as we strive to give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential.