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TESTIMONY
Venus Sze-Tsang on the Class Size Law's Implementation and Concerns
4:00:20
·
4 min
Venus Sze-Tsang testifies about the complexities and unintended consequences of implementing the class size reduction law, expressing concerns over potential negative impacts on students and the education system.
- Sze-Tsang supports the class size working group minority report, opposing forceful implementation of class size reduction.
- She highlights the challenges of building new school capacities, potential increase in waiting lists, and the impact on special education.
- The testimony raises concerns about financial implications and the inability to rapidly build new capacity to accommodate reduced class sizes.
- Sze-Tsang urges for amendments to the class size law to mitigate negative outcomes and calls for a strategic approach to reducing class sizes starting with the youngest students.
- The testimony underscores the importance of considering the long-term effects on families, particularly those relying on advanced placement courses and electives for educational advancement.
Venus Sze-Tsang
4:00:20
Hi.
4:00:21
Hi.
4:00:21
My name is Venus Vitang.
4:00:23
Staten Island's elected parent's top member and class i's working group member.
4:00:27
1 of the supporters of the class i's minority report.
4:00:30
I've spent a lot of time in CDC meetings listening in on feedback about the class size law.
4:00:36
I want to remind the public that supporting the class size minority report does not mean that we are anti teacher or anti student.
4:00:43
We want lower class size 2, but not at the expense of more learning learning roles.
4:00:48
For our pandemic, our students.
4:00:50
There is natural cause such as the pandemic, such as flooding, housing migrants, and schools that cause learning the discretion.
4:00:57
How do we knowingly cause learning the spectrum to our students?
4:01:01
Many policies written in a way that they think of for interpretation.
4:01:05
I'm not comfortable with the classized working good recommendation of capping a moment because that says out loud and clear that we will disrupt our family.
4:01:14
Starting from kindergarten, we will have weightless.
4:01:17
For example, in district 20 and in district 31, we are getting new schools.
4:01:22
We are all excited.
4:01:23
We are all relieving the crowded schools.
4:01:25
Right?
4:01:26
This is how it should be.
4:01:27
Build, then move the student.
4:01:29
Not move the student to the next under enrolled school, which could be nowhere in district 20 district 31.
4:01:35
Every school is crowded.
4:01:37
A parent slash teacher in district 22 voiced that she was worried that her child's ICT class will be affected.
4:01:44
She was worried that once implemented many ICT see students would be declassified because there won't be enough special ed teachers.
4:01:51
Special ed teachers are very hard to hire, so her concern is valid.
4:01:56
It's not right for her community members to be more like her for being concerned and not wanting smaller class size in face of her children's education needs not being met.
4:02:06
This needs to be done strategically as outlined in the classified working group minority report.
4:02:11
We need to show that it's something worth the investment to do starting with a group of youngest students that will benefit the most, building a strong foundation.
4:02:20
If you don't know what kindergarten weight list look like, Can you imagine getting a call at the end of kindergarten that you can return to your zone score on 1st grade?
4:02:27
If we support capping a moment, many, many families will be shut out of their zone score and a long term effect can stretch out to low income and middle class working families, losing a opportunity to take AP classes, and electives that pave the way out of poverty for many.
4:02:43
For me, I have 3 kids that I have to save a college for.
4:02:46
I was really looking forward to saving my year of college tuition for my children seeking 80 courses in high school.
4:02:53
Implementing the law in a forceful manner will instruct learning for the same students who suffered the most during this pandemic.
4:03:00
New York City Centers will really get a really get as Senator John Lu calls it a basic.
4:03:06
In fact, a very basic sound education.
4:03:09
Someone mentioned in a CDC meeting chat that they're child is in a class of 32 feet.
4:03:15
If classes get cut to 20 feet or the other 12,000,000,000,000 going.
4:03:19
We need more capacity and more teachers.
4:03:21
We don't have the money, the capacity, or the teachers.
4:03:24
Please have DOE and Senator who show us where the where the funds are.
4:03:29
If John is the center to insist that accept.
4:03:33
Even if we have the money to hire
UNKNOWN
4:03:34
So you're telling the supplier.
Venus Sze-Tsang
4:03:36
Still sure.
UNKNOWN
4:03:42
You can continue.
Venus Sze-Tsang
4:03:45
Okay.
4:03:45
Thanks.
4:03:47
So we don't even if we have the money to hire teachers, we need to 1st build capacity.
4:03:54
It's not going to happen in 5 years because we can't even build building in 5 years.
4:03:58
The answer isn't simply fully funding the school.
4:04:00
We are going to this funding current law if we don't get it done within 5 years.
4:04:04
Now are you willing to lose funds for d 75¢ to support lower lowering class size for all, or are you willing to volunteer your child's lieutenant under enrolled school maybe a mile away.
4:04:15
There are trade offs that we all have to think about.
4:04:18
Please review the class size working group minority report and urge for there to be amendments made to the law.
4:04:23
How to approach this law in a better way.
4:04:25
Thank you.