NYC taxpayers could be on the hook for $21M teacher bonuses under Mamdani, UFT class size deal

New York City taxpayers may have to pay up to $21 million in bonuses to thousands of teachers as part of a deal easing restrictions on public school class sizes, according to a new analysis released Tuesday.The powerful teachers’ union negotiated pay bumps of up to $8,500 in the upcoming school year beginning in September and $9,500 for the following year for educators in schools being exempt from the class size mandate.This was a concession to the United Federation of Teachers for agreeing to amend the state’s controversial 2022 law to give Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his Department of Education two additional years to meet the caps.The New York City Independent Budget Office estimates that at least 2,463 teachers will be eligible for the bonuses next school year, according to its new report.If all eligible teachers receive the maximum bonus of $8,500, the IBO found it could cost the city DOE $21 million during the 2026-27 school year.“It is unclear whether the Department of Education budget will require additional funds for these bonuses,” the IBO noted.The report noted the bonuses could cost less if some of them are lower than $8,500, if enrollment declines, if fewer teachers are eligible or if principals maneuver to redistribute students to comply with the caps.The number of eligible classes was calculated by the IBO using the list of schools that have received exemptions to the size caps this year.Under the state’s original law, 80% of city public school classrooms by next year were required to have no more than 20-25 students, depending on the grade level.Absent waivers, all classrooms were to abide by those caps by the following 2027-28 school year — 20 students for K-3rd grade, 23 for grades 4 to 8 and 25 for high schools.But the new timeline gives the DOE until the 2029-30 school year to be in full compliance, which the city said would save it roughly $500 million.Under the agreement involving Gov.Kathy Hochul, the Democrat-controlled state Legisl...