NYC schools are due to receive nearly $7 billion over the next two years in federal funds, and more than $500 million in additional state funds, rising to $1.3 billion annually over the next three years in increased foundation aid.

The additional foundation aid is the result of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit, in which the state's highest court said NYC students were denied their constitutional right to a sound basic education, in part because their classes were too large. And yet class sizes have actually increased since that decision was made.

Accordingly, the City Council has proposed that the city should spend $250 million in next year's budget to reduce class size next year, focused first in struggling schools with particularly vulnerable students. This would also help with social distancing to ensure safety, and would provide the academic and social support that our kids will need next year more than ever before.

$250 million could pay for as many as 2,500 new teachers, that in turn could reduce the size of 10,000 classrooms – as adding a new class lowers class size in a school for all the other students in the same grade or subject.

I, along with other parents, educators, students and concerned citizens, urge the Mayor and the Chancellor to agree to this funding, as the first step of a phased-in four- or five-year citywide class size reduction plan.

In addition, as the Council has proposed, DOE should also spend $110 million to pay for at least one full-time school counselor and one full-time social worker in every public school.

Yours sincerely,