WHAT MULGREW DIDN'T SAY IN HIS INCOMPLETE RESPONSE ON THE RADIO SHOWS CLASS SIZE DOES NOT REALLY MATTER TO HIM

One of the major disagreements I have with the UFT leadership is on class size. The UFT has not reduced class sizes in the Contract since the 1960s and the Contract is filled with loopholes on class sizes and other areas that are wide enough to drive a truck through.

Class size reductions are a proven way to improve learning. Leonie Haimson is an activist who has made reducing class sizes an important part of her life's work. She has a radio program on WBAI called Talk out of School. Yesterday's guest was UFT President Michael Mulgrew. There are some good exchanges to listen to on COVID-19 and ending mayoral control but when Leonie asks Mulgrew about reducing class sizes, it becomes very interesting.  

Leonie talks to Mulgrew about remote learning and she asks him about class size in the remote learning classes. She notes that the DOE has not followed the law because they did not release class size data in November. Then at around the 16-minute mark, she says that class sizes are in the 40s in some remote classes. Mulgrew's response is a classic. 

He says classes are in violation of class size limits and we are using an operational issues complaint process to resolve them. He adds that there are a thousand operational complaints and most of them are on class size. He actually says we need smaller class sizes in the conversation. 

He somehow neglects to mention that the UFT's operational remedies for class sizes do not include reducing class sizes.

We printed the menu of possible remedies to operational complaints last week. The DOE has to try to reduce class sizes but if they say they can't, the UFT is fine with that. Take a look at the remedies for teachers for class size violations in the operational complaint process which we have copied below. They include extra prep time, coverage pay and shortage area pay, or getting a School Based Option. The schools only need to try to reduce class sizes. The old DOE college try is not good enough in my view. 

Can someone tell me how giving a teacher coverage pay for having an oversize class is educationally sound?  I have heard of remote class sizes as high as 43. These students need interactions with teachers.

I am not talking about schools, like some of the commenters here talk about, where only two or three kids log on. I am referring to schools where most of the students in these oversize classes are on live with their teachers every school day for synchronous instruction for regular periods. 

When the pandemic mercifully finally ends, the story of the almost complete neglect of remote learners by the DOE will be something that education observers will shake their heads at as they look back on it. When the city spends a huge amount of their resources to try to get in-person learning going for a small minority of students, this is what you are left with. The great majority get treated as second-class citizens with many stuck in oversize classes. 

 CLASS SIZE VIOLATIONS

School must try to balance classes to reduce to contractual limits

Division Possible Remedy

Elementary Schools

A written resolution, or an SBO vote, or a stipulation may indicate:

1-5 students above CBA class size*: Additional preparation time as provided for teachers teaching multiple modalities (see above). If a teacher is already receiving additional preparation time for multiple modalities via an operational resolution at any level, and they are assigned a class over by 1-5 students, the teacher will receive payment for 1 coverage per week, retroactive to date of overage and for as long as overage exists.

6 students to a half-class above CBA class size: Payment for 2 coverages per week, retroactive to date of overage and for as long as overage exists.

More than half-class above CBA class size: Shortage pay retroactive to date of overage and for as long as overage exists.

*Cluster and departmentalized classes will be considered comparable to secondary school case load.

Secondary Schools

A written resolution, or an SBO vote, or a stipulation may indicate:

1-5 students above total caseload as defined in the Blended Learning Agreements: Additional preparation time as provided for teachers teaching multiple modalities (see above). If a teacher is alreaiy receiving additional preparation time for multiple modalities via an operational resolution at any level, and they are assigned a class over by 1-5 students, the teacher will receive payment for 1 coverage per week, retroactive to date of overage and for as long as overage exists.

6 students to a half-class above either CBA class size or total caseload as defined in the Blended Learning Agreements: Payment for 2 coverages per week, retroactive to date of overage and for as long as overage exists.

More than half-class above either CBA class size or total caseload as defined in the Blended Learning Agreements: Shortage pay, retroactive to date of overage and for as long as overage exists.

ADDITIONAL TEACHING PERIODS As part of the written resolution, either an SBO vote or a stipulation may indicate

Shortage area pay, pro-rated for number of periods per week (1 to 5) and pro-rated for length of assignment (above contractual limits by division)