Yesterday afternoon, Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matterssent out an email blast castigating the DOE's own class-size report for "increases ... at all grade levels" -- the biggest bump in the Bloomberg/Klein era, despite state funding specifically targeted at reducing the head count in the city's classrooms. (The City Council held hearings on the issue earlier in the day.) It's the first time in ten years, Haimson says, that class sizes have increased in every grade -- a distressing milestone -- and challenges DOE to explain why.

Shortly after Haimson's e-blast, the UFTsent a response from Randi Weingarten, castigating the DOE for "disheartening and inexcusable" class-count rises, which look particularly flagrant in light of the $149.5 million the city received in Contracts for Excellence funding and $152 million in "maintenance of effort funds." Weingarten says the state could rescind funding if the city ignores the law, adding "It's time for the city to quit making excuses and comply with the law."

In today's Times, Jennifer Medina has a responsefrom none other that Garth Harries at DOE, who pooh-poohs the $300 million within the $17 billion DOE budget. The DOE basically says that principals are at fault (autonomy again; they make their own decisions) and predicts that class sizes may continue to grow in the future. So is the DOE remiss in meeting the requirements tied to the state funding? It appears so, despite Harries' comments and thinly-veiled threats.

But as is often the case in the whack-a-mole universe of the NYC DOE, a new question crops up when another is, nominally, answered: What is Garth Harries doing taking these questions at all? According to Deputy Chancellor Marcia Lyles' testimony to the City Council Education Committee, Harries is now 100% dedicated to special-educationreview. What's going on?