New York, NY —

Crime is on the rise in the city's public schools. Major school felonies are up 21% in the current fiscal year, according to an early draft of the mayor's annual management report of city agencies.

City Hall blames the increase on a rise in grand larceny reports and a few more school days counted in the reporting period. The city also says robberies in schools declined by 29%.

Meanwhile, the teachers union claims the number of verified assaults in schools from September to February more than doubled this year to 704 - more than 500 of which were against teachers.