Contracts for Excellence

The NYC Department of Education receives some of its annual budget from the NY State Foundation Aid program. Every year, the State allows some of the additional aid to be used for growth in general operating costs and investment in ongoing programs. However, some of the funding must be used according to the State’s “Contracts for Excellence” law. New York City schools received Contracts for Excellence (C4E) funds for the first time in the 2007–2008 school year. These funds under State law must be given to certain schools and must be spent by those schools in specific program areas.  

To see all the Contract for Excellence information, including from past year, on the Info Hub.

How it Works

  1. Funds must support specific programs areas. C4E dollars must be spent to support new programs and activities or to expand existing programs and activities in the following six program areas:
    • Class-size reduction
    • Time on task
    • Teacher and principal quality initiatives
    • Middle school and high school restructuring
    • Full-day pre-Kindergarten and
    • Model programs for English Language Learners (New in 2008-09).
  2. Funds must go to students with the greatest need. C4E funds must be used to improve the performance of students with the greatest educational need, including:
    • English Language Learners (ELLs)
    • Students with disabilities
    • Students in poverty and
    • Students performing below State learning standards or students who are at risk of not graduating.
    • Funds must supplement, not supplant. Funding is intended to provide additional educational resources.

Contract for Excellence 2024-2025 Annual Hearings

State law requires DOE to submit a contract for excellence for the 2024-2025 school year. The contract for excellence provides information on how certain State aid will be used for designated activities that are designed to improve student achievement, with a focus on students with the greatest educational need.  

The contract for excellence must be developed through a public process, which must include a public hearing held within each New York City county. In addition, public meetings must be held in each community district related to district-specific contracts. 

Under amendments to State law made in 2022, 2023, and 2024, DOE’s contract for excellence must also include a plan to reduce class sizes, beginning in September 2023. DOE must submit the draft contract to the State for preliminary review within two weeks following the completion of the public process, after analyzing public comments received about the proposed plan. 

Borough Hearing Schedule

Hearings will be online via ZOOM.

Registration for each event will be posted HERE.

The virtual meeting room will be open one hour before the start of the meeting to allow members of the public to sign up for public comment. 

Scheduled Start Time is 6:00pm.

Comments may be submitted at the hearings or by sending e-mails to ContractsForExcellence@schools.nyc.gov. The deadline for submitting public comment is June 24, 2024. 

Bronx - May 22, 2024

Manhattan - May 23, 2024

Staten Island - May 28, 2024

Queens - May 29, 2024

Brooklyn - May 30, 2024

Budget 

This preliminary plan is a proposal to solicit public feedback and should not be used for school budgeting purposes.  

For the 2024-25 school year, as required, additional C4E funding will be distributed to schools pursuant to the state's requirements that 75% of C4E funding be allocated to the top 50% of neediest schools based upon needs weights issued by NYSED. 

Existing C4E funding will continue to be distributed to schools based solely on needs weights, and new C4E funding will be distributed to schools based partially on selected criteria for class size reduction, in alignment with the new State-mandated class size caps. 

Spending restrictions, as described in the FY25 Contracts for Excellence SAM (https://www.nycenet.edu/offices/finance_schools/budget/DSBPO/allocationmemo/fy24_25/fy25_docs/fy2025_sam005.htm ), apply. 

For a description of the plan for allocation of the additional FY2025 C4E funding, see the FY2025 Planned Allocation of Funding Above the FY2024 C4E Amount. 

Class Size Reduction Plan

2024-25 Contract for Excellence Building Plan

2024-25 Contract for Excellence School Building Plan can be found HERE

2024-25 Contract for Excellence Public Comments

2024-25 Contract for Excellence Public Comments can be found HERE

2024-25 Contract for Excellence Narrative

2024-25 Contract for Excellence Narrative can be found HERE

District Hearings

District Hearing Schedule

Community Education Council (CEC) hearings that present the district-specific C4E information will be held during June. CECs must hold their meetings between May 22, 2024 and June 20, 2024.  

Comments may be submitted at the hearings or by sending e-mails to ContractsForExcellence@schools.nyc.gov. The deadline for submitting public comment is June 24, 2024.  

  • District 1 - June 20, 2024, 6:15pm, 166 Essex Street Auditorium, NY, NY 10002

  • District 2 - June 12, 2024, 6:30pm, 10 E 15th St, New York, NY 10003 (The Clinton School)

  • District 3  - June 11, 2024, 6:30pm, PS 145 Auditorium, 150 West 105 Street New York, NY 10025, Zoom Link Here  

  • District 4  - June 12, 2024, 6:00pm, Patrick Henry Prep (04M171) 19 East 103rd Street, NY, NY , Zoom link HERE Meeting ID: 942 063 0130  Passcode: 123456 

  • District 5 - May 22, 2024, 6:30pm, PS 36 123 Morningside Drive, Unit 2, Conference Room 228, NYC, NY 10027

  • District 6 - May 30, 2024, 6:00pm,  306 Fort Washington Ave, New York, NY 10033, Zoom link HERE

  • District 7  - June 4, 2024, 6:00pm, P.S. 18- 502 Morris Avenue Bronx NY 10451.

  • District 8 - June 12, 2024 6:00pm, P.S. 304 2750 Lafayette Avenue 

  • District 9  - June 18, 2024, 5:30pm, PS 199 Shakespeare School 1449 Shakespeare Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452

  • District 10  - May 28, 2024, 6:30pm, HS 368 2975 Tibbet Avenue Bronx, NY 10463

  • District 11 - June 18, 2024, 6:00pm, P.S. 121 2750 Throop Avenue

  • District 12 - June 12, 2024, 6:00pm, Herman Ridder Campus, 1619 Boston Road, Bronx NY, 10460

  • District 13 - June 4, 7:00pm, 355 Park Place, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11238

  • District 14 - June 13, 2024, 7:45pm, 215 Heyward Street, Room 238, Brooklyn, NY 11206 , Zoom link HERE

  • District 15 - June 4, 2024, 6:30pm, 131 Livingston Street, Room 301, Brooklyn, NY 11221

  • District 16 - June 10, 2024, 6:30pm, District 16 Family Resource Center, 125 Stuyvesant Avenue, Room 130, Brooklyn, NY 11221

  • District 17- June 20, 2024, 7:00pm, Zoom link HERE, PS. 91 Annex, District Office, 532 Albany Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11203

  • District 18 - June 3, 2024, 7:00pm, District Office - 1106 E 95th St., Brooklyn NY 11236; Lower-Level Conference Room

  • District 19 - June 12, 2024, 6:15pm, PS 13, 557 Pennsylvania Ave, Brooklyn NY Room 118/119

  • District 20  - June 12, 2024, 6:00pm, PS/IS 104 - 9115 5th Ave., Brooklyn NY 11209

  • District 21  - June 12, 2024, 6:00pm, PS 101 - 8696 24th Ave., Brooklyn NY, Zoom Link HERE

  • District 22  - June 4, 2024, 7:00pm, JHS 014 - 2424 Batchelder St., Brooklyn NY 11235, Zoom link HERE

  • District 23 -  June 3, 2024, 6:00pm, District 23 Office, 1784 Park Place Brooklyn, NY 11233

  • District 24  - June 11, 2024, 6:00pm, Middle School 419, 111-10 Astoria Boulevard, Northern Corona, NY 11369 - Auditorium

  • District 25  - June 20th, 2024, 7:00pm, 30-48 Linden Place | Room 509 | Flushing, NY 11354 Virtual, Zoom link HERE

  • District 26 - June 13, 2024, 7:00pm, Virtual,  61-15 Oceania St, Queens, NY 11364 Zoom link Here

  • District 27 - June 10, 2024, 6:45pm, 82-01 Rockaway Blvd, 2nd Fl Conference Rm, Ozone Park, NY 11416

  • District 28  - June 6, 2024, 6:30 PM District 28 Office at 90-27 Sutphin Boulevard Jamaica, NY 11435 Zoom link here

  • District 29  - June 20, 2024, 6:30 PM PS/IS 268Q, 92-07 175th St, Queens, NY 11433

  • District 30 - June 10, 2024, 6:30pm, 28-11 Queens Plaza North Long Island City, NY 11101  (5th floor conference room) Virtual, Zoom link HERE

  • District 31 - June 3, 2024, 7:30pm, 715 Ocean Terrace SI, NY 10301 Hall of Science

  • District 32 - June 20, 2024, 6:00pm, IS 383 1300 Greene Ave BK, NY 11237

  • CCHS - June 4, 2024, 52 Chambers Street, NY, NY 10007, 3rd Floor Conference Room Zoom link Here.

Class Size Working Group

In February 2023, the Chancellor announced that NYC Public Schools would be convening a Class Size Working Group to gather input related to implementing Chapter 556 of the Laws of 2022, which mandates smaller class sizes in the New York City school district.

NYC Public Schools will be looking to build a working group of diverse perspectives and experiences from across New York City, taking into account individuals’ geographic representation, experience as a parent or guardian of a NYC Public School student, educator, advocate, researcher or other stakeholder, while also considering individuals representing different school levels and sizes as well as organizational affiliations.

In late February 2023, NYC Public Schools launched a survey for individuals to express interest in participating in the working group and selected the following members to participate.

Class Size Working Group: Final Report

The Class Size Working Group Final Report can be found HERE

Additional Materials - Minority Report

Class Size Working Group: Public Engagement Sessions, October 2023

Join the Class Size Working Group to learn more about their proposals for reducing class sizes, as NYC Public Schools plans to implement the state’s new class size law. Attending an engagement session is your opportunity to provide feedback to the Working Group as they finalize recommendations.

Translations for flyer on engagement sessions can be found below:

Three sessions were held. Recordings to the sessions are linked below:

09/26/23 5:00-7:00pm

09/27/23 5:00-7:00pm

10/02/23 5:00-7:00pm

Proposed Recommendations:

Preliminary proposed recommendations can be found HERE

Translations:

Member List

Members of the working group were selected with the intention to build a working group of diverse perspectives and experiences from across New York City, taking into account individuals’ geographic representation, experience as a parent or guardian of a NYC Public School student, educator, advocate, researcher or other stakeholder, while also considering individuals representing different school levels and sizes as well as organizational affiliations.

Class Size Working Group Member List

Meeting Dates

 

For any specific questions you may have about the Class Size working group, please reach out directly to ClassSize@schools.nyc.gov.