ALBANY -- Layoffs hit nearly 3 percent of teachers in New York this year, according to a survey released Tuesday by the state Council of School Superintendents.
That translates into more than 7,000 teacher layoffs, said Richard C. Iannuzzi, president of the New York State United Teachers union. Another 4,000 unfilled positions were eliminated.
More than 4 percent of school administrators also were laid off.
The union and the superintendents blame Albany. They cite this year's rare cut in state aid after two years of flat spending and a new law capping local property tax growth that takes effect in the spring.
The state has about 222,000 classroom teachers.
Besides the teacher layoffs, the superintendents' survey found nearly 2 percent of teacher jobs were lost to attrition or retirement, contributing to two-thirds of districts saying class sizes are larger this year.
Overall, 80 percent of school districts reported cutting teaching positions, according to the survey.
The online survey includes responses in August and September from 283 superintendents.
"The schools and school districts chose to make these reductions in the classroom rather than dip into their reserves, cut back on the bureaucracy or reduce the growing number of administrators," Cuomo spokesman Josh Vlasto said in response to the report.
Additional findings in the "At the Edge" survey include:
66 percent of districts reported they also cut teaching positions in the 2009-10 school year.
47 percent cut or deferred purchases of computers and other educational technology.
Job cuts were most severe in rural and urban districts.
About 67 percent of superintendents took salary freezes or cuts in pay or benefits, and concessions are being granted by other unionized employees.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Read more...