Teachers' union pushing for smaller classes in city, BX

Public schools in the Bronx and the rest of the city are expecting more money this year from Albany, and the teachers' union says it knows exactly how to spend some of it.According to the New York Times,

News 12 Staff

Jan 24, 2007, 2:20 PM

Updated 6,473 days ago

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Public schools in the Bronx and the rest of the city are expecting more money this year from Albany, and the teachers' union says it knows exactly how to spend some of it.According to the New York Times, Randi Weingarten, the head of the United Federation of Teachers, wants at least $1 billion devoted to reducing class sizes throughout the city. She said that amount was what it would take to have class sizes similar to the rest of New York State. To reduce class sizes, officials say hundreds of teachers would need to be hired.Weingarten's demand puts her at odds with Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R-NYC). The mayor has said he wants maximum control over how money is spent on education in the city. He's listed priorities such as expanding pre-kindergarten classes and working on the education budget system. The United Federation of Teachers says it will spend the next five weeks lobbying lawmakers on the issue.