Though public schools across the nation are improving their school environments for students, the New York schools are falling behind, according to the National Education Association (NEA). In a recently posted web page, the NEA cited many failings of the New York schools. Here are some of the challenges that the New York schools continue to face during the 2006-2007 school year.
Average Sizes for Schools and Classes
The elementary and secondary New York schools continue to be among the largest schools in the nation. The average size of an elementary school within the New York schools system is 27 percent higher than the national average. With an average of 558 students per elementary school, the New York schools rank fifth to have the largest elementary schools on average in the United States. Their high schools are even larger, averaging 1004 students per school. That is 33 percent higher than the national average, making the New York schools system the eighth largest in average high school size.
The class sizes in the New York schools also are among the largest with an average of 22 students per class. The NEA ranked the New York schools as the tenth...