Page 26 - The Indian EYE 041825

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline APRIL 18, 2025 | The Indian Eye 26

Mayor Adams and Chancellor Aviles-Ramos Announce

Hiring over 3,700 New Teachers at nearly 750 Schools

Announcement Builds on Mayor Adams’ Record of Investments in New York City Public

Schools, Including Additional Funds for Implementation of Class Size Law

OUR BUREAU

NEW YORK, NY
ew York City Mayor Eric Ad-
ams and New York City Public
NSchools Chancellor Melissa
Aviles-Ramos have announced that
nearly 750 schools, as part of Mayor
Adams’ Fiscal Year 2026 Executive
Budget, will be given the authority to
support the hiring of over 3,700 teach-
ers across the public school system to
reduce class sizes. Following a careful
joint review of hundreds of schools’
proposed plans by New York City
Public Schools, the United Federation
of Teachers (UFT), and the Council
of School Supervisors and Adminis-
trators (CSA), this investment sup-
ports increased compliance with the
class size law for the 2025-2026 school
year, utilizing a school-driven frame-
work for class size reduction.
“A reduced class size is one of
the best ways to help our students
learn and for young people to thrive,
and today, we are taking yet another
step toward making New York City their students, all done in a way that’s of students, and we look forward to our dard process.
the best place on the globe to raise driven by our school leaders and continuing collaboration to meet class This initiative for class size reduc-
a family,” said Mayor Adams. “By school communities.” size targets next year and beyond.” tion will help schools bring additional
investing in the hiring of 3,700 addi- “What seemed impossible has be- Schools had the choice to submit classes below the new state-mandated
tional teachers at 750 public schools come possible because of the sheer de- individual class size reduction plans class size caps and support New York
across the five boroughs for the 2025- termination of educators and parents,” — first announced in the fall of 2024 City Public Schools in its efforts to
2026 school year, we will help give our said UFT President Michael Mulgrew. — for the 2025-2026 school year un- meet compliance with the class size
schools the ability to create smaller, “We are taking a huge step towards der a framework created by New York law next school year. New York City
more nurturing classrooms where all lowering class sizes for all our students.” City Public Schools. Plans were de- Public Schools has already hired an
our students can excel and be provid- “School leaders deeply under- veloped at the school level, in consul- additional 1,000 new teachers for
ed more individualized care. Let me stand the impact that smaller class siz- tation with school leadership teams, this current school year, and today’s
do the math: we have 750 schools over es can have on student learning and allowing for a school-driven approach announcement builds on that invest-
five boroughs with 3,700 additional engagement. We applaud our princi- to driving system-wide change. This ment and, once again, shows Mayor
teachers — equaling incredible bene- pals and their school leadership teams initiative follows on the previous Adams’ commitment to investing in
fits for New York City public school for the diligent work that will allow community engagement work done New York City families.
students. We look forward to continu- our system to meet the new class size by New York City Public Schools on Today’s announcement also builds
ing to work with our union partners to thresholds by September,” said CSA this issue, including the facilitation of on the Adams administration’s record
implement our plan, maintain com- President Henry D. Rubio. “We com- the class size working group in 2023, investments in New York City Public
pliance with class size regulations, mend and thank Mayor Adams for which produced a series of recommen- Schools. In Fiscal Year 2025, the city
and further enhance learning envi- this meaningful investment. Time and dations on implementation of the law. invested over $600 million to protect
ronments across the city.” again, the mayor, the chancellor, and This notification to principals programs that were previously only
“Today’s announcement is a their teams have supported school comes in advance of distribution of temporarily funded with federal stim-
demonstration of genuine collabo- leaders with the resources they need Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget ulus dollars, including $10 million for
ration with our union partners and — whether replacing expiring feder- allocations to allow additional time teacher recruitment efforts that were
represents a commitment to listening al funds, holding schools harmless to support principals in hiring teach- critical to meeting state-mandated
to our schools,” said Public Schools for enrollment losses, or negotiating ers and appropriately planning for the class size legislation standards. Under
Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “We are so a fair contract that honors the vital 2025-2026 school year. Initial budget Mayor Adams’ leadership, the admin-
proud to be making this new invest- role of school leaders. Our principals allocations, including dollars for class istration invested nearly $1 billion for
ment in our schools, supporting 750 are committed to implementing these size reduction, will be shared with major five-year teacher, principal, and
of them to lower their class sizes for plans with care and integrity in service schools later in the spring as is stan- staff pay increases in October 2023.

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