UFT now has a veto over any exemptions from the category measurement mandate, which can be utilized to dam constitution co-locations.
Look out: The United Federation of Academics is gearing up to make use of a brand new software in its battle on public constitution colleges, through the use of the powers granted it beneath the “class-size discount” regulation to cease town from offering area to charters which might be including new grades.
After eight years of the UFT-loving de Blasio Division of Training routinely refusing to OK “co-locations” of latest constitution seats in half-empty buildings that host common public colleges, charters appeared ahead to a better time rising beneath pro-charter Mayor Eric Adams and Chancellor David Banks.
However now we see a hidden angle to the class-size mandate that UFT boss Mike Mulgrew acquired the Legislature to impose on town (solely), which Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into regulation in September after an settlement to gradual its influence: The offers the UFT a veto over any exemptions from the mandate, which Mulgrew means to make use of to dam constitution co-locations on the speculation that they might improve class sizes within the public college that can share the constructing.
The Panel for Training Coverage is approving new co-locations now; it simply OK’d Success Academy’s request to share area at a center college within the Rockaways. That prompted PEP member Tom Sheppard, a UFT ally, to inform Gothamist he needs the “complete course of to decelerate.”
That's, don’t grant three different Success requests till the brand new regulation takes impact and Mulgrew can strive his energy play.
Actuality test: Enrollment in common metropolis public colleges is down greater than 7% because the pandemic started, with no signal of reversing course. That leaves an estimated 140,000 unused seats citywide to accommodate constitution co-locations. And the five-year phase-in of the category measurement measure doesn’t start till subsequent September and received’t absolutely kick-in till 2028.
It’s the mayor’s and chancellor’s obligation (and PEP’s) to look out for all metropolis college students, not simply these with UFT academics. And denying classroom area (which town has in spades) to high-quality constitution colleges would hurt the principally black and Hispanic kids they educate.
Adams, Banks & Co. want handy Mulgrew a whole loss on this coming combat.
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