Capital Construction Plan Jump Starts School Projects

New York, NY —

New York city public schools will be getting 66,000 new classroom seats within the next 5 years. The funding comes from the $13.1 billion school capital construction plan. It calls for the city and the state to split the tab and was approved by the legislature and governor following a lawsuit over school funding.

But education advocates say the state has not come forward with all the money that is needed to hire more teachers to work in the new classrooms. The mayor said it's too early to project how many new teachers will be needed to fill the new classrooms.

Mayor Bloomberg says the funding will insure that 21 school construction projects previously delayed will now move forward. It will also provide for the creation of nearly 40 new science labs, 15 new libraries, 60 new athletic facilities, 40 new arts facilities, 20 new technology upgrades and 20 new heating systems.