Res. No. 1579 Title Resolution calling upon the New York State Commissioner of Education to amend Section 144.11 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education to allow for broader methods of reducing class size under New York State's Early Grade Class Size Reduction Program. Body By Council Members Stabile, Eisland, Henry, Koslowitz, Moskowitz, Robles, Abel, Fiala, Oddo and Ognibene; also Council Members Foster, Leffler, Michels, O'Donovan, Rivera and Rodriguez Whereas, A growing body of research indicates that reducing class size results in beneficial effects on student achievement, particularly in the early grades; and Whereas, The New York State Early Grade Class Size Reduction Program has been enacted to improve student academic performance through reducing class size in the early primary grades; and Whereas, The New York State Early Grade Class Size Reduction Program grants funds for the creation of new classrooms and certain start-up costs; and Whereas, New York City schools are faced with serious problems of overcrowding and are limited in their ability to create additional space for new classrooms; and Whereas, Nevertheless, New York City schools have instituted inventive ways to reduce class size, such as through team teaching and hiring an additional teacher to be shared among classes or for priority subjects such as reading and math; and Whereas, New York City Schools receive funding from the Federal Class Size Reduction Program for these innovative approaches to reducing class size; and Whereas, New York City schools are ineligible to receive funding from the New York State Early Grade Class Size Reduction Program for its creative approaches to reducing class size; and Whereas, New York City schools are now being asked to return millions of dollars in funding they received from the State because of an inability to provide additional classroom space for children in kindergarten through grade 3; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the New York State Commissioner of Education amend Section 144.11 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education to allow for broader methods of reducing class size under New York State's Early Grade Class Size Reduction Program. L.P. 10/2/00 LS #3441