Report: 2.7 percent of teachers hit by layoffs

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

A new report by New York school superintendents finds state aid cuts have resulted in layoffs for nearly 3 percent of teachers statewide this year.

The survey released today by the state Council of School Superintendents says that in addition to the 2.7 percent of teachers idled by layoffs, another 1.6 percent of open positions were eliminated from the teacher workforce.

Overall, 80 percent of school districts reported cutting teaching positions and two-thirds say class sizes are larger as a result.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo had secured the first cut in school aid in decades after flat funding in the previous two years during the state’s fiscal crisis. Cuomo insisted schools could cut waste without harming instruction and specifically targeted growing administration costs.