FOR RELEASE:

Audit: K-3 Class Sizes Down, But Not as
Much as Required Under State Program

City Received $491 Million From 1999 Through 2005
to Ensure No More Than 20 Children Per Classroom

New York City has received more than $88 million in State funding every school year since 2000-2001 dedicated to bringing the number of students in each kindergarten through third grade classroom to an average of 20 or less, but the City Department of Education (DoE) has not reduced early grade class sizes to that level, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi.

A total of $491 million has been provided to the City from 1999 through 2005 under the Early Grade Class Size Reduction Program which was established by State law in 1997. School systems around the State are required to use the funding to add to – rather than substitute for – existing resources for early grade classes. Although early grade class sizes in New York City have declined steadily since 1998-1999, DoE still needs to add nearly 900 classes to reach an average of 20 students or less. The ability to add these classes is partially dependent upon receiving additional capital funding to build new classrooms, a matter which is currently being decided in Albany as part of State budget negotiations.

Auditors found that for the 2004-2005 school year:

• DoE provided 1,566 fewer early grade classes than should have been provided under the law, based on the class size reduction funding received by the City.
• Approximately 59 percent of the 13,287 early grade classes in the City had more than 20 students.
• Approximately 21 percent of early grade classes had 25 or more students.
• Average class size was 20.9 students in kindergarten, 21.6 in first grade, 21.3 in second grade and 21.6 in third grade.

“The research is clear. Smaller class sizes in early grades mean children perform better, and the benefits are long-lasting. It’s good that New York City reduced the average class size, but almost 60 percent of classes are still above the goal of 20 students, and many are well above it. At a time when lower enrollment in the lower grades should have made it easier to cut class size, it’s very disappointing that the City did not achieve the goal of an average of 20 students in a class,” Hevesi said. “State funding for the Early Grade Class Size Reduction Program came with very specific rules about how it could be spent, and we found that the City Department of Education did not meet the mandatory goals.”

The New York City school system did reduce average early grade class size from 24.9 students in 1998-1999 to 21.3 students in 2004-2005, mostly because of significant declines in enrollments. Average class size in 2004-2005 was 20.9 students in kindergarten, 21.6 in first grade, 21.3 in second grade and 21.6 in third grade. DoE would have needed an additional 887 more kindergarten through third grade classes in 2004-2005 to reach the goal of an average of 20 students per class.

“Department of Education officials have tried to use a different methodology to calculate the need for early grade classes to create an impression that they are meeting the statutory goals. The truth is the goal is 20 students per class,” Hevesi said. “They have not succeeded in meeting that goal, but they have made important progress.”

Because enrollment in the early grades in the school system declined significantly during the audit period, DoE officials maintained that fewer new classes were needed to reach the average class size goal. This is valid, but the City did not add even the smaller number of classes necessary to reach the goal. Auditors determined that while the DoE was receiving State funding through the Early Grade Class Size Reduction Program, it was reducing its own support for early grade class size reduction and using it for other purposes.

DoE officials noted accurately that while the annual costs for the class size reduction program have grown, State funding has remained constant and therefore covers a smaller percentage of program costs. Auditors noted that, under the establishing legislation, State appropriations were not intended to cover the full cost of the program.

Auditors also found:

• Space constraints in some school buildings did limit DoE’s ability to add new early grade classes.
• DoE could improve the distribution of program funds by basing funding allocations on analyses of school enrollment and capacity rather than the prior-year allocation to the school.
• School “attendance zone” boundaries – which determine where students in a particular area attend school – could be adjusted to address instances where, for example, one school building is overcrowded and a school in a neighboring zone is not, in order to better utilize classroom space.

The audit covered the period July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2005.

The complete written response from the New York City Department of Education is included in the audit.

Click here for a copy of the audit

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