UFT on school construction and class size

"For the past four school years, the School Construction Authority (SCA) simply ignored the class size law. It built new seats or sited new projects based on other criteria or took no action at all.

Mayor Mamdani’s decision to revamp the SCA is a necessary and welcome step to jumpstart the process.

We look forward to working with newly named SCA President Celeste Ramirez as the SCA expands, builds, and renovates classrooms, so all students receive the benefits of smaller classes.

We will also continue to work with the DOE to improve its current draft of the annual class size implementation plan.

To the DOE’s credit, the plan includes the first citywide assessment to determine which schools will need construction projects to meet class size law mandates.

Missing, however, is a coherent recruitment plan for hiring the necessary additional staff by 2030.

It took decades of advocacy by educators and parents to pass a class size law. Now that we have it, we are determined to make it a reality for all of our students." - Michael Mulgrew, President of the United Federation of Teachers.