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Parents and teachers let school officials know Tuesday the city needs to work harder to reduce class sizes and improve the graduation rates for English language learners.
The Department of Education held a public hearing at I.S. 230 in Jackson Heights to get feedback from the community on how to spend a chunk of state money, named Contract for Excellence (C4E) funds, designated for students with the greatest educational needs. The state has allocated $386 million to the city as part of this year’s C4E aid package, to be distributed among schools for six main purposes: class size reduction, time on task (includes programs to lengthen school years, expand support services and expand arts programs), teacher and principal quality initiatives, middle school and high school restructuring, full-day pre-kindergarten and model programs for English language learners. Funds are released directly to schools to be used in the specific areas at the discretion of the principal, School Leadership Team and the greater school community.
Dave Quintana of Ozone Park (correction) a parent and member of the organization Class Size Matters, said Queens has the most crowded schools in the city and DOE needs to take action. He cited Richmond Hill and John Adams high schools in District 27 as examples, stating both schools have enrollments exceeding 3,000 when they were built to hold 1,800 students.“The amount allocated to reducing class sizes is minimal,” he told officials, including Kathleen Grimm, deputy chancellor for finance and administration with the DOE.
He added the city’s plan for the funds was unlikely to meet its goals and wanted the state to check to make sure schools spend the money only in the areas they legally can.
Heather Goldberg, a teacher at P.S. 82 in Jamaica, added she appreciated the DOE’s attempt to reduce class size but a lot more needed to be done.
Silvia Gonzales, of the New York Immigration Coalition, wanted to see improvements with students learning English. She said this population has the lowest graduation rates in the city, with just 26 percent of ELL students graduating after four years and 50 percent dropping out after seven years.
Deycy Avitia, also of the coalition, added she was concerned some schools will use the C4E funds to cover basic needs for ELL students when it should be used to enhance services.
Councilman David Weprin (D-Hollis) also attended the meeting and raised several general concerns with the C4E program. He said it is imperative that there is accountability and oversight regarding the initiatives to reduce class sizes and that didn’t appear to be in DOE’s C4E plan.
High School teacher Janet Kelly was concerned schools would use the C4E money to fund escalating costs in operating expenses, such as electricity and oil, rather than use the money in the specific areas for which they are intended. If the city doesn’t keep up with those escalating costs, schools will use these funds to make up the difference, she said.
Terence Tolbert, executive director of intergovernmental affairs with the DOE and moderator of the meeting, said the C4E funds can only be spent in the specific areas by law and cannot be used for every day operating expenses.
James O’Neall, of the Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation, said decent after-school programs and a focus on arts, culture and sports between the third and sixth periods would greatly increase classroom attendance, grades, test scores and high school completion rates. He asked that the C4E funds be used on these items.
Citizens can still provide the DOE feedback on the C4E funds by e-mailing ContractsForExcellence@schools.nyc.gov. An updated version of the plan can be seen on the DOE’s Web site, at http://.schools.nyc.gov.
