Res. No. 1256
Resolution calling upon the New York City Department of Education to regularly review the use and condition of transportable classrooms and to limit the amount of time that transportable classrooms are used in New York City public schools.
By Council Members Ferreras, Brewer, Chin, Dickens, Dromm, Fidler, Jackson, James, Koslowitz, Lander, Levin, Mark-Viverito, Palma, Recchia, Rose, Van Bramer, Vann, Williams, Rodriguez and Halloran
Whereas, A transportable classroom is a temporary building installed on the grounds of a school to provide additional classroom space and to address overcrowding issues; and
Whereas, Transportable classrooms are normally removed once the capacity situation abates, a permanent addition is made to the school building, or a new school opens in the area; and
Whereas, When properly installed and maintained, transportable classrooms can have a long useful life; and
Whereas, Although temporary classrooms can be a quick fix to overcrowding in schools, there are many implications that a transportable classroom has for the learning environment; and
Whereas, In 2011, there were 363 transportable classroom units in use in New York City Department of Education schools; and
Whereas, According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school principals report numerous problems associated with temporary classrooms including lighting, air conditioning, heating, ventilation, noise control, size, and the physical condition of buildings; and
Whereas, Further, some transportable classrooms are not equipped with proper or adequate bathrooms; and
Whereas, Among the most crowded schools in the city is Public School 19 in Corona, Queens, which has ten transportable classrooms that were supposed to be temporary; and
Whereas, Sixteen years after construction the heating system in the transportable classrooms has begun to fail and children are forced to sit through lessons wearing coats and scarves; and
Whereas, Public School 19 is just one example of the adverse effects that long-term transportable classrooms can have upon the City's public schools; and
Whereas, Often the temporary units become permanent fixtures in growing school districts; and
Whereas, When transportable units are deemed the only viable option available, the amount of time they will be used should be anticipated and those units should be constructed out of the most durable materials in order to ensure the longest and healthiest useful life; and
Whereas, Former Chancellor Joel Klein originally hoped to eliminate all transportable classroom units by 2012, an issue that has since his tenure been placed on the backburner; and
Whereas, As of the 2010-11 school year, New York City's transportable classrooms had an enrollment of 8,582 students, the lowest number of students since the DOE began reporting this data to the Council in 2005; and
Whereas, It is important to set limits on the amount of time that transportable units can be used for schools in order to deter these provisional structures from becoming a long-term rather than a short-term solution and to further decrease the number of students in temporary classrooms; and
Whereas, Due to the use of transportable units, children have become sick, especially in the winter, due to inadequate heat in the temporary structure or from having to frequently go outside to access the main school building; and
Whereas, The physical condition of transportable units should be closely monitored and any needed repairs completed promptly; and
Whereas, The DOE should actively strive to reduce the number of years that transportable units can be used to supplement space in any school or school building; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Department of Education to regularly review the use and condition of transportable classrooms and to limit the amount of time that transportable classrooms are used in New York City public schools.
LS# 3274
GP/JA
03/08/2012
5:20 pm