Two years of class size cuts could cost $1-billion
Some state education board members say the money would be better spent on more teachers.
By Associated Press
Published August 19, 2003
MIAMI - The class size amendment will cost the state nearly $1-billion in the first two years, the state Board of Education was told Monday, leading many board members to complain that it is taking money away from teachers and reading specialists.
The board was reviewing a budget that included an additional $517.4-million to reduce class sizes by an average of two students in the 2004-05 school year. The Legislature approved $468.2-million for the school year beginning this fall, bringing the two-year total to $985.6-million.
"This is a hurricane that will swamp the boat," state Education Commissioner Jim Horne said in delivering the budget news. "It has a draconian kind of impact."
Education officials warned that class size reductions - classes will be capped at 18 children in prekindergarten through third grade, 22 students in fourth through eighth grades and 25 in the high schools by 2010 - will only grow more expensive. Voters approved the measure in November 2002.
"The real costs have not shown up yet and the real costs will dwarf what is spent so far," said Jim Warford, chancellor of K-12 public schools.
The board will vote today on the proposed $15.2-billion budget, which funds kindergarten through higher education. If approved, it will be sent to Gov. Jeb Bush, who will use the recommendation to prepare a budget for the Legislature.
The $985.6-million budgeted for reducing class size only pays for operational costs, such as hiring more teachers and restructuring class schedules, and does not begin to fund the construction of new classrooms, Horne said.
Several board members said there are more effective and less expensive ways to improve the state's education than reducing class sizes.
"We could focus these resources to make much more dramatic progress in the area of reading," Warford said. He suggested raising teacher salaries and training reading coaches, who teach teachers more effective ways to instruct their students how to read.
Board member William L. Proctor said he supports reducing class size in kindergarten through third grade only. He called the rest of the spending "wasted money."
"The quality of the teachers is much more important than the size of the classroom," Proctor said.
But Proctor said hewill vote for the budget because the class size amendment is a voter mandate.
