Originally published in Issue 13 - September 1, 1997

In a typical year, BOE appoints about 3,000 teachers to replace teachers leaving the system and provide for new needs. This year, however, an additional 500 teachers are needed for a $40 million investment in class size reductions in high schools, and an additional 200 teachers are required to implement Project Read. This year, BOE anticipates it will appoint 3,941 new teachers by late October, including new hires and the appointment of substitutes currently filling in for teachers on leave. As of mid-August, 2,257 teachers had been hired and an additional 1,525 had been referred to the placement centers of individual school districts.

State legislation for an early retirement plan is awaiting the Governor’s signature. The legislation proposes to allow teachers with ten years or more of service to retire at age 55 with full pension. If signed into law, the bill would allow more teachers to retire immediately without financial penalty. Although estimates of the number of teachers eligible for the benefit varies, the New York City Office of the Actuary projects that an additional 500 teachers are likely to retire this year if the measure becomes law.

Over the last eight years, BOE has lost many experienced teachers to various City-sponsored early retirement initiatives meant to produce budget savings. However, IBO analysis indicates that teacher certification levels and median years of experience have generally held steady since the 1989-1990 school year (shown in the graphs below).