NEW YORK, NY — EdTrust-New York is deeply disappointed that New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) chose not to request a pause in the implementation of the Class Size Reduction Law. This decision puts fairness, fiscal stability, opportunity, and equity at risk for the students and communities the law is intended to serve.

NYCPS’ own analysis says that fully implementing this law will cost nearly $1 billion, and most of that funding will go to low-need schools. In fact, 78% of the additional dollars required in addition to Fair Student Funding will go to schools with the least amount of students from low-income backgrounds.

Our own analysis, based on the city’s progress at just 60% implementation, reveals alarming inequities. Schools serving the highest shares of Black and Latinx students are receiving $200 less per student, a 41% gap, compared to schools serving the fewest. Similarly, schools serving the highest shares of low-income students are receiving $150 less per student, a 26% gap, than those serving the fewest. These disparities demonstrate that the current implementation approach is failing to direct resources to the students and schools with the greatest need.

NYCPS must adopt a more equitable, data-driven approach to class size implementation, especially in a moment marked by tight budgets, significant student need, and persistent racial and economic inequities. We urge city leaders to take immediate steps to ensure that more resources, not fewer, reach the students and schools that need them most. Equity cannot be an afterthought; it must guide.

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About EdTrust-New York: EdTrust-New York is dedicated to eliminating equity and opportunity gaps that hinder students from reaching their full potential. We focus on ensuring that students of color, including Black, Latinx, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander students, and those from low-income backgrounds achieve high levels of success from early childhood through college. For more information, visit EdTrustNY.org.