Legislative Fact Sheet

September 2011

Consequences of New York State Education Cuts

Despite claims that education budget cuts could easily be accommodated through a little belt-tightening and fat-trimming, New Yorks public education system is feeling real pain. As the school year enters its fourth week, the $1.3 billion in cuts this year has meant fewer teachers and support staff; class sizes of 40 or more in some school districts; bare bones art, music and interscholastic sports programs; and so few psychologists, social workers and guidance counselors in some places, students and their futures are being put at risk. School aid is funded at $19.6 billion this year, or $5.5 billion (-22%) less funding in our classrooms than what was promised in 2008-09. In fact, four years after the CFE remedy was enacted, New York is right back where it started. The $19.61 billion in state funding for education in this years executive budget is essentially the same funding level as provided in 2007-08 ($19.64 billion), when the Court of Appeals rules the state had violated its Constitution by failing to provide all students with a sound, basic education. It is now clear that this years cuts are having an especially devastating effect on schools. What makes this year different from the previous two years is that school districts are running out of ways to absorb the cuts without affecting what takes place in the classroom. In fact, this year students are finding more faces of their peers in classrooms and fewer faces of adults. There are approximately 30,000 fewer teachers and support staff in our schools compared to three years ago. More than 24,000 teaching positions have been lost over the last three years. Some 6,000 fewer teachers aides and other paraprofessionals are supporting student learning and district operations. This represents a 9.2% reduction in the teaching force from the high of 260,000 in the 2008-09 year. This year, the cuts include about 7,700 actual layoffs tax-paying New Yorkers being tossed onto the unemployment lines. Nationally, 293,000 education jobs have been lost since August 2008.

3 Year Breakout of K-12 Teacher & School Related Professional (SRP) Job Losses via Layoffs & Attrition
2009-10 K-12 Teacher K-12 SRP Job Losses 5,253 3,172 8,425 9,436 1,053 10,489 9,327 2,365 11,692 24,016 6,590 30,606

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2010-11 K-12 Teacher K-12 SRP

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2011-12 K-12 Teacher K-12 SRP

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3 Year TOTALS K-12 Teacher K-12 SRP

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Deep cuts to teaching and paraprofessional staff mean larger class sizes and less extra help for students. Adding even one more student to a classroom cuts back on the individual attention a student receives. Teachers are reporting they dont have the opportunity to interact as often as they would like because of the crush of students. They are saying their curriculum cant go as in-depth as they would like because they are trying to accommodate more learning styles. At some high schools, students are finding fewer course options. On Long Island, Amityville has eliminated all of its business courses and Wyandanch has eliminated all of its high school art classes. Yonkers award-winning full day universal-pre-K program has been cut to half a day and slots are now limited and there is a waiting list full of students. High school librarians are only present only half the time, and no librarians work in the districts elementary schools. In an urban district with highpoverty levels, guidance counselor ratios are 1 to 650 students on average, with just one guidance counselor to serve 950 students at the International Baccalaureate High School. How can one guidance counselor provide college and career counseling to 950 students? After-school tutoring programs instituted to improve achievement on state tests have been cut in many districts. At the elementary and middle school, many districts have fewer choices or lower frequency for music and foreign languages. Even in suburban districts, Advanced Placement course offerings have been chopped. Parents tell us school supply lists were longer, because districts provided fewer items this year. Many parents report they expect to be levied additional fees if their children want to participate in sports or other extracurricular activities. School districts have done their share. Theyve trimmed carefully and worked to be as efficient as possible. Local unions have, in hundreds of communities, rolled up their sleeves and worked with their districts to trim costs, while ensuring teachers and staff are treated fairly. Now, New York needs its state leaders to step up and invest more in public education, to ensure that students everywhere have the opportunity to graduate, go on to college and live successful lives. ___________________________________________________________________________________ 33316