Smaller classes popular in poll
Seventy percent polled by the Times want to keep the 2002 reductions. But many agree compromise is needed.
By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK
Published April 6, 2006
Floridians love the idea of smaller class sizes.
Seventy percent of Florida residents want to keep the class size reductions approved by Florida voters in 2002, a new St. Petersburg Times poll found. And they aren't budging even though many of them think smaller classes could lead to tax increases and the hiring of mediocre teachers.
"I definitely believe that small class sizes are better. But I also believe that's what is going to happen," said Tony Perez, who lives in eastern Hillsborough County and has two children attending public schools.
But Perez, like almost half of Florida residents, is open to one alternative being considered by state lawmakers: easing strict students-per-classroom caps in exchange for a guarantee that at least 65 percent of education money goes directly to classroom expenses.
Floridians could be asked to vote on that tradeoff if a constitutional amendment makes the ballot in November.
The Times telephone poll of 872 Florida adults was conducted March 14-26 by RSVP Research Services of Tampa. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
A statewide poll done recently by Mason-Dixon Research also shows majority sentiment in favor of retaining strict class size caps, though not by as wide a margin as the Times survey. Fifty-one percent of Florida voters oppose changing class size requirements, Mason-Dixon found. The amendment was approved by 52 percent of voters in November 2002.
Mason-Dixon interviewed registered voters. The Times poll included nonvoters.
Those in the Times survey who harbor some uncertainty about the so-called "65 percent solution" point to the proposal's failure to define what constitutes a "classroom expense."
"When you have vague bills like that, it's hard to interpret what they really mean," said Dean Berkey, a Sarasota County schoolteacher who has four children in public schools. "Just give us a definition and let us apply it."
The confusion crossed political, economic and racial lines. And it was not limited to the general public. Even educators have confessed to needing more explanation before making up their minds.
"It sounds pretty simple until you start asking the questions, such as what is the definition," said David Mosrie, executive director of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents.
Mosrie noted that one superintendent he knows recently wondered whether utilities might count. Not much education takes place in Florida classrooms without electricity and air conditioning, he said.
It's unclear whether the Florida Senate will back the proposal, which is moving swiftly through the House. Sen. Alex Villalobos, the Republican majority leader from Miami, said he will not support changes without answers to several questions, including how much additional money would go into Florida classrooms.
Lawmakers pushing for class size changes say they would craft a definition for classroom expense if and when the amendment succeeds. They say the poll results indicate a portion of the public is open to compromise.
"Those numbers are good news," said Rep. Joe Pickens, the Palatka Republican who is sponsoring changes to the class size mandate. "We have to get the message out that we are not repealing class size. We never intended to. The class size requirement that we have in perpetuity needs to be a little more flexible."
Many school district officials are counting on it.
Several districts are backing the 65 percent concept because they think it will ease the pain of class size reduction without forcing them to spend any more money in the classroom. The law currently sets class sizes at 18 for kindergarten through third grade, 22 for fourth through eighth grade and 25 for high school.
The 65 percent proposal would allow district averages rather than classroom counts, and cap individual class sizes at five students higher than the district average.
"We believe we need more flexibility, the ability to react to high growth and things going on locally, without having to worry about being in compliance" with strict classroom counts, said Wendy Hosking, a Polk County schools lobbyist.
Few of the Floridians polled seem interested in codifying the status quo. If they are going to give up some of the class size reductions, they said, they want to see more money going into classrooms.
"I feel like if you can put more money into the classroom, that's where it is needed," said Lynn Randall, a Pinellas County nurse with adult children who voted against the 2002 amendment but has since changed her position. "It scares me. I see the schools not putting out the education that I know I had."
Rep. Ralph Arza, chairman of the House PreK-12 Committee, said he thinks the class size changes working through the Legislature would allow school districts to spend their money more judiciously because they won't have to put as much into school construction or transportation.
"We are honoring the voters' desire - that 70 percent that support class size," said Arza, a Hialeah Republican. "We're putting a proposal before them that honors class size reduction but does it in a common sense way."
He said GOP polls have shown about 80 percent of voters back a mandate to put more money into the classroom, even when the details aren't explained.
Why tie the ideas of class size and classroom spending together?
"I'm a former football coach," Arza said. "Why put in one star running back when you can put in two?"
Jeffrey S. Solochek can be reached at 813 269-5304 or solochek@sptimes.com