New York City hits class-size target at 73.4% — but only after the state lowered the bar and the city changed its math

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced Friday (Nov. 13) that 73.4% of New York City public school classes meet the state’s class-size caps, above the 70% target for the 2026–27 school year, and that the number of schools in full compliance rose from 121 to 254. But the milestone comes with two caveats: state lawmakers lowered this year’s target from 80% to 70% in June, and the city changed how it counts compliance for the first time.

Without cluster classes, compliance would be just 69.5%

Under state law, New York City must cap classes at 20 to 25 students depending on grade level. This year the city counted elementary “cluster” classes — science, art, physical education and music courses not taught by a student’s regular classroom teacher — toward compliance for the first time. Samuels acknowledged that without those classes, the compliance rate would be 69.5%, just short of the 70% requirement. Counting them lifts the rate to 73.4%. Last school year the rate was 64%.

Full compliance now due in 2029–30

Legislation passed in June gave the city two more years to comply: the target is 70% this school year, rising by 10 percentage points a year until 100% of classes must comply in 2029–30. Before the change, this year’s target was 80%. The city says capital funding dedicated to smaller classes now exceeds $7.6 billion and is intended to create 41,000 seats. Samuels, visiting Brooklyn’s M.S. 582 on Friday, called the progress “a huge, huge step forward”; the school received funding to hire four additional teachers.

(Sources: Chalkbeat; Office of the Mayor of New York City; NYC Public Schools.)