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On Monday, the DOE released a list of 11 schools set to be phased out and a charter school recommended for non-renewal.

The following schools were added Tuesday: P.S. 114 Ryder Elementary, P.S. 332 Charles H. Houston, Frederick Douglass Academy III, I.S. 195 Roberto Clemente, Academy of Collaborative Education, P.S. 102 Joseph O. Loretan, Metropolitan Corporate Academy High School, Monroe Academy for Business/Law, Performance Conservatory High School, Jamaica High School, Global Enterprise High School, Norman Thomas High School, Paul Robeson High School and Christopher Columbus High School.

These schools are all struggling. At the elementary and middle schools slated to close, an average of only 19 percent of students are proficient on state English tests, less than half the citywide average of 42 percent. Moreover, only 22 percent are proficient at math on average, compared to the citywide average of 53 percent.

The high schools have a graduation rate of 49 percent, compared the city average of 63 percent.

Almost all of the schools have also seen their poverty rates and number of homeless students increase in recent years -- some significantly. At Norman Thomas, more than 200 homeless students have been enrolled since 2008.

Last year, the Panel for Educational Policy voted to close the 19 schools the DOE proposed, but the teachers union successfully sued to keep them open, saying the process had not followed the letter of the law. Fifteen of those 19 schools are back on the closure list this year; four managed to get off the list, after getting Bs on their report cards and improving graduation rates.

The DOE says it's trying to do things differently this year.

"We're trying to provide as much information as we can to families, to school leaders, to elected and community leaders,” said Maura Kearney of the Department of Education.

"At least they're answering questions this time and going to the schools to try to figure things out ahead of time,” said United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew. “That is not what they did last year. And they are doing that because we filed a lawsuit and won last year."

Mulgrew also told NY1 that the union will be closely monitoring this year's process and will take legal action if necessary.

The public hearings will begin for all 26 schools in January, and if they are anything like last year, they will be contentious.

The final votes will happen at two separate meetings in early February.