| Releases
& Statements
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
April 14, 2008
Contact: Sarah Krauss
(212) 669-4193; (917) 541-0936
Shortage of Class Seats a Growing Problem BP Stringer’s Report a “thoughtful and timely analysis”; City must respond
“I commend Borough President Stringer for his thoughtful and timely analysis that identifies a shortage of classroom seats to meet the growing demand in Manhattan. In fact, this is a city-wide problem that has serious consequences: crowded classrooms result in poorer education for the city’s children.
There is and has been a disconnect between the city’s rush to build housing and the needs of the people who will live in these homes. Borough President Stringer outlines one of the serious impacts of this disconnect, which also further strains public transportation, recreation space and infrastructure like the sewer system.
The City and the Department of Education must respond immediately and draft plans based on housing construction and resident demands for services,” said Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum.
Last year, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum released an analysis of high school construction and capacity. The analysis revealed that the approximately 26,000 new high school seats slated to be created under the City’s five-year school capital program is only about half of the new capacity needed to meet the city’s 70 percent graduation target by the 2009-10 school year. The current high school construction program is based on the assumption that only 46 percent of ninth-graders will make it to 12th grade citywide: 50 percent in Manhattan, 36 percent in the Bronx, 42 percent in Brooklyn, 51 percent in Queens and 64 percent in Staten Island.
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