1. Class sizes and school overcrowding citywide and in D28 CEC D28 presentation in conjunction with the Feb Capital Plan Martha Chavez Class Size Matters 2/16/17

2. In District 28, average K-3 class sizes fell slightly by
In District 28, average K-3 class sizes fell slightly by .3 students per class this fall; yet remain more than 5 students above C4E goals that NYC originally promised to achieve and more than 1 student over the Citywide average.

3. Average class size for 4-8th grades stayed the same as last year; more than 5 students over C4E goals and 1.5 students over Citywide average.

4. Average HS class sizes declined by
Average HS class sizes declined by .2 students per class; would take 10 years to reach original C4E goals

5. Latest overcrowding data from “Blue Book” school year Latest overcrowding data from “Blue Book” --42% of NYC schools/programs were at or over 100% in ,000 students (62% ) were enrolled in these schools/programs data source: SCA “Blue Book” , utilization & enrollment of school/organizations

6. Existing overcrowding in District 28
45 D 28 Schools, including high schools, were overcrowded according to Blue Book, meaning at 100% utilization or more.
About 5852 students were crammed into those 45 schools.
The district averaged 109% utilization, with a districtwide shortage of students.
There was a shortage of 88 cluster rooms in 85 schools districtwide, including 21 rooms in 30 schools claimed to be under 100% utilization.

9. February 2017 capital plan still underfunded
Funds less than 45,000 seats – about 54 % necessary to alleviate current overcrowding and accommodate enrollment growth, according to DOE estimates.
Only 27% of seats needed have actual sites and are in process of scope and design.
Our estimates are that the actual need is much greater than DOE projects.

13. DOE claims no more HS seats needed in Manhattan, Bronx or Brooklyn

14. More reasons actual need is much higher than DOE projects
DOE school capacity formula is based on average class sizes larger than currently exist in NYC schools & in D2 (28 students per class in 4-8th grades; 30 in HS)
Their enrollment projections have proven faulty many times.
City Planning ratio from housing starts is borough-based rather than neighborhood-based.
And the City Planning ratio relies on Census data more than 16 years old.
Data source:

15. School siting dysfunctional --There are districts where schools have been funded for more than ten years without a single school sited or built ; --School Construction Authority only has one person on staff per borough looking for sites for schools; ---The SCA never uses eminent domain to acquire sites unless the property has recently been on the market; They never “cold call” meaning inquire when they’ve identified good sites before they’re for sale; --- There have been more than 4,000 seats funded for 3 years in the “class size reduction” category with only three small projects identified

16. We need a new planning process for schools -- So that schools are built efficiently along with new housing and not lagging the process by years afterwards In most large states and districts, developers have to pay an “impact fee” to help fund new infrastructure including schools, but not in NYC In NYC, a new residential development has to increase overcrowding by 5% to even consider the need for a new school – even in neighborhoods where the schools are ALREADY very overcrowded.

17. What is being done about this
What is being done about this? --Public Advocate Tish James, 22 Council Members, Class Size Matters and parent leaders pointed out many of the problems with school planning and siting in a letter we sent the Chancellor in June Last week, Speaker Mark-Viverito announced that Council would form an internal working group to come up with proposals to reform the process. --On Tuesday, Feb City Council will hold hearings to hear from public on how the process of school planning and siting should be improved.

18. What can you do. --Attend Feb
What can you do? --Attend Feb. 28 City Council hearing at City Hall to support our call for a improved process of school planning & siting ---Come and testify or just come at 10:00 AM to show your support; bring signs! ---Public testimony will begin about 1 PM. If you can’t attend, Council staff the day before with your testimony to ---Or us at with your comments so we can put them into our written testimony ---Sign up for our newsletter at for updates on the latest developments on class size/overcrowding