The landmark class-size bill passed by both houses of the state Legislature in June had not become law by Sept. 1 because it still lacked the governor’s signature.

UFT members, parents and education advocates put pressure on the governor over the summer to sign the bill in the hope it would take effect this school year. Mayor Eric Adams and Schools Chancellor David C. Banks have strongly opposed the measure.

After weeks of silence, the governor signaled on WNYC’s “Brian Lehrer Show” on Aug. 25 that she might sign the legislation and was in talks with Adams about it. “I’m inclined to be supportive,” she said. “I just have to work out a few more details with the mayor.”

The state bill would reduce maximum class sizes in New York City public schools during a five-year phase-in period from 25 to 20 for kindergarten; 32 to 20 for grades 1-3; 33 to 23 for grades 4-8; and 34 to 25 for high school. Priority would be given to schools with higher poverty rates.

“I think that we will have a good outcome in the end,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said. “This bill provides the opportunity to make transformational change.”

State Education Department figures show that 98% of the state’s public school districts have lower class sizes than New York City.

Sen. John Liu, the chair of the state Senate Committee on New York City Education, said at the City & State Education Summit in lower Manhattan on Aug. 18 that large class sizes were a primary reason the court concluded in the landmark Campaign for Fiscal Equity case that New York City students were not receiving a sound, basic education.

After more than a decade of delays, the governor and the state Legislature in 2021 began a three-year phase-in to fully fund the foundation aid formula for New York City and other high-needs districts statewide as required under the lawsuit.

“We’re finally giving the city more money, and now they’re saying that somehow they can’t do it,” Liu said.

Declining student enrollment in city public schools gives the city and its Department of Education a “golden opportunity” to tackle large class sizes, he said.

“It’s much easier to phase in a plan when class sizes are down,” Liu said. “Let’s keep them down and build capacity as students return.”