City Council introduces a bill to limit class sizes

We are one step closer in the fight for smaller class sizes!

City Council Education Committee Chair Mark Treyger and Council Speaker Corey Johnson introduced a bill on July 29 that would set new limits on the number of students allowed in New York City classrooms in the wake of COVID-19. Current rules require 35 square feet of space per student in pre-K and kindergarten classrooms, and 20 square feet in all other classrooms. The bill would require 35 square feet per student in all classrooms. The new occupancy limit would cap the number of students at 14 in a 500-square-foot classroom and 21 in a 750-square-foot classroom.

If it becomes law, the legislation would require the DOE to phase in the new capacity limits in all schools over three years. Some schools would have the space to meet these new standards, but others would have to rethink their program structure and current spaces. Limiting class sizes would make it easier to manage school ventilation systems and provide proper distance between students to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases such as COVID‑19.

The UFT will work tirelessly with the City Council to build support for this bill among lawmakers. You can help by encouraging your Council member to join our fight for smaller class sizes. Overcrowding has long plagued our school system, but thanks to your ongoing advocacy, we are finally making some headway in addressing this problem.