Smaller NYC School Class Size Bill Passes Despite Adams' Misgivings

NEW YORK CITY — Smaller classroom sizes in New York City's public schools are just a pen stroke away.

State lawmakers late Thursday passed a bill to extend Mayor Eric Adams' control of local school for two years, which came with companion legislation to reduce the city's classroom sizes to 20 to 25 students.

The bills await Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature for final approval.

Teacher advocates hailed the classroom measure as a major step forward for education in the city. Smaller class sizes are tied to better educational outcomes and less teacher burnout, they argue.

“The Senate and Assembly class size reduction legislation marks a milestone in the years-long struggle to bring the benefits of smaller classes to the city, which has long had among the highest class sizes in the state," said Michael Mulgrew, the United Federation of Teachers union's president, in a statement.

But the bills' approval by lawmakers came after Adams' vocal misgivings over particulars in the deal, especially the potentially expensive class size reduction.

Adams said this week he supports smaller class sizes, but he balked at a mandate that didn't include funding for them.

He also blasted the overall mayoral control deal — which only extended his powers for two years rather than his hoped-for four — as the work of "professional naysayers," the New York Daily News reported. His criticism apparently came as a surprise to lawmakers who said he didn't raise objections before its public release.

Teachers union officials argued the anticipated $1 billion cost for additional teachers under smaller class sizes is than 1 percent of New York City's current $100 billion annual budget. The plan, which will be phased-in over five years, is adaptable enough to work, especially since the vast majority of school buildings can accommodate the new class sizes, they argued.