Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Chancellor Kamar Samuels, alongside School Construction Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Celeste Ramirez, today announced that 73.4% of City public school classes now comply with the state's class size law, surpassing the state's 70% target for the 2026-27 school year.
The achievement delivers on a key campaign promise by Mayor Mamdani and marks significant progress toward ensuring every student has the space and individual attention they need to succeed.
An additional 133 schools are now fully compliant with the class size law, doubling the number of schools where every class meets the state limits. More than 640 schools have reached at least 90% compliance, and more than 1,120 schools have reached at least 70% compliance. Meanwhile, the number of schools at or below 50% compliance has fallen by more than 230.
"The days of overcrowded classrooms and students struggling to get the attention of their teachers are coming to an end. Today, we are delivering on our promise to make smaller class sizes a reality for more New York City kids," said Mayor Mamdani. "Through a $244 million investment in teacher hiring and $1.5 billion in capital funding, we are building the classrooms that every student deserves."
"I know from my days as a teacher and a school leader that students learn best when instruction is tailored to their unique strengths, needs and goals. Smaller class sizes help make that a reality," said Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels. "I am deeply grateful to the Mamdani Administration, the SCA and our labor partners at the UFT and CSA for their collaboration and commitment to this effort, including significant capital and hiring investments from the City. Together, we have reached 73.4% compliance, exceeding the state's target and making our students' day-to-day classroom experience more rigorous, engaging and personalized."
This milestone was made possible by a $244 million investment in teacher hiring in the Mamdani Administration's budget, alongside $1.5 billion in new capital funding for future class size compliance. This brings the total capital funding dedicated to smaller class sizes to more than $7.6 billion and will create a total of 41,000 seats in smaller classrooms.
Class size compliance increased across every grade band, with the largest gains in middle school, where compliance rose 7.2 percentage points. Compliance increased 6.4 percentage points in fourth and fifth grades, 4.9 percentage points in kindergarten through third grade and 4.8 percentage points in high school.
Among classes that have not yet reached compliance, just over one-third exceed the legal limit by only one to three students. The share of classes exceeding the limit by six or more students has fallen from 17% to 12%. The City achieved this progress without relying on exemptions.
"Smaller class sizes mean more opportunities for students to receive individual attention, build meaningful relationships with their teachers, and get the support they need to succeed," said School Construction Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Celeste A. Ramirez. "At the School Construction Authority, we are proud to be a partner in this historic effort, working closely with the Mayor and NYC Public Schools to identify and maximize space, create new classrooms, and make strategic investments in our school buildings. Surpassing the State's 70 percent compliance threshold is an important milestone, but our work is far from finished. We remain committed to delivering safe, modern and welcoming learning environments that give every New York City student the space and opportunity to reach their full potential."
"We are getting closer to every New York City student getting the benefit of being in a smaller class. Students, parents, and educators all say the difference is exhilarating. Students love the additional individualized attention. Educators love having more opportunities to forge the personal connections with students that are the foundation for all learning, " said United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew.
"Smaller classes mean more attention for every student, and that is why the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators has fully supported the class size law since its inception. Reaching this year's benchmark of 70 percent took real work from our school leaders: reprogramming schedules, finding space, and recruiting new teachers, all without cutting programs that families depend on. We thank the Mayor and the Chancellor for recognizing what it takes, and we will work together until every school is in full compliance," said Council of School Supervisors and Administrators President Henry D. Rubio.
"Overcrowded classrooms are a disservice to students and teachers alike," said State Senator Julia Salazar. "I'm so glad we're finally turning the corner, with a majority of our public school classrooms in compliance with our state's class size law. I'm grateful to the Mayor's investment in teacher hiring, and I know both our youth and our educators will feel the positive impact of this change."
"Our city's children thrive when they have access to a learning environment that is conducive to their growth and support," said Chair of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood Education Jennifer Gutiérrez. "I applaud Mayor Mamdani, Chancellor Samuels and the Department of Education for this achievement, and look forward to continuing to build more supportive and compliant classrooms for our students."
"Every student deserves room to learn and the attention they need to succeed. The planned 826 additional seats at the Curtis High School annex will help ease overcrowding, support the City's efforts to meet the class size mandate, and expand opportunities through programs like Curtis' renowned Nursing Program. I thank Mayor Mamdani, Chancellor Samuels, and the School Construction Authority for investing in our students' future," said Majority Whip Council Member Kamillah Hanks.
"Surpassing the state's class size compliance target is a significant achievement, and I commend Mayor Mamdani, Chancellor Samuels, and NYC Public Schools for the hard work and investments that have brought us to this point," said Deputy Leader Council Member Sandra Ung. "If we want families to put down roots and raise their children in our community, we must ensure that they have access to quality neighborhood schools, and that includes providing enough classroom space for every student. I recently met with School Construction Authority President Celeste Ramirez to discuss these needs in my own district, and I look forward to working with the administration to ensure that our students and families get the school capacity they deserve."
"Today's announcement shows that New York City is working to ensure our students can benefit from the most optimal learning environment possible. Lower class sizes mean more personalized attention, stronger academic achievement, and better working conditions for educators. I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Mamdani and Chancellor Samuels to improve our city's public schools and exceed state mandates for the state class size law," said Council Member Crystal Hudson.
"Smaller class sizes means students get closer attention, similar to the attention I needed and, fortunately, received when I struggled in school. I'm particularly pleased to see that David A. Boody, IS 228 in the Gravesend part of my district is seeing one of the largest increases of available seats citywide," said Council Member Simcha Felder. "This issue is close to my heart and I commend Mayor Mamdani and Chancellor Samuels for their commitment to improving education quality for our students."
"Smaller classes make a massive difference. Nearly 3 out of 4 public school students are in smaller classes and benefiting from more teacher attention this year and I can't wait for even more schools to achieve smaller class sizes in the years to come. Credit to Mayor Mamdani, Chancellor Samuels, President Ramirez and all the public servants who have worked hard to advance this important goal," said Council Member Lincoln Restler.
