Budget cuts, which mean fewer teachers, are driving up class sizes. The Daily News reports, based on a Class Size Matters study, "The average elementary school class ballooned by about 4% to more than 23 students. Middle and high school classes grew by 1% to 2% to almost 27 students." Further, "average kindergarten class sizes jumped to 21.7 from 20.7 students this year... The number of schools that have an average of 25 or more students in kindergarten classes grew by almost 30% to 58 schools, mostly in the Bronx and Brooklyn." (The NY Times says Manhattan's kindergarten enrollment was highest at 9%.) The DOE says, "We have managed to avoid massive increases in class size," but the UFT says, "It's gross mismanagement." more ›

There's a great NY Times article about the overcrowding at Richmond High School in Queens. The building was meant for 1,800 students, but 3,600 students attend the school. How is that possible? Well, there are 22 trailers "encased within chain-link fencing, occupy the school’s former yard, evoking the ambience of the Port Elizabeth container-ship terminal." Ha! more ›