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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 27 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USHouse votes to allow larger high school classes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A substitute House bill passed Tuesday does away with the planned class reduction for high schools.
Class sizes in grades 9-12 were to be reduced to 28 students under legislation that passed seven years ago. Implementation was delayed due to concerns about the cost of making the change.
The new legislation would allow up to 32 students in a high school math, science, social studies or language arts class. The proposal says the maximum class size can be 40 percent higher than what the state funds — one teacher per 23 students.
The bill, which now goes to the Senate, was a substitute for legislation that would have delayed the 28-student cap for two years.
Rep. Brooks Coleman (R-Duluth), chairman of the House Education Committee and sponsor of the substitute, said the new proposal gives schools more control over class sizes.
Coleman, a former principal and assistant school superintendent, said small class sizes are not as important in high school as they are in the lower grades. Class size reduction already is in effect for grades kindergarten through eight.
He said meeting the 28-student cap would be costly in terms of building more classrooms and hiring more teachers.
“We should not run the schools from the House of Representatives,” Coleman told his colleagues.
Rep. Steve Davis (R-McDonough), a supporter of the substitute, said the reduction would put 800 more Henry County students in trailers and cost nearly $4 million.
But reduction supporters said the state has a budget surplus topping $500 million, so it can afford to help local schools systems fund the smaller classes.
“This vote is about keeping campaign promises,” Rep. Kathy Ashe (D-Atlanta) said. “We need to go ahead and get the job done.”
House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) backed Coleman’s proposal.
“I don’t think there is a bit of research that indicates a difference between 28, 29 and 30,” Richardson said. “That’s all this boils down to is local systems.”
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By voice
March 28, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this
We need a bill to reduce the size of schools. Children of all ages get lost in the mega schools that are being built.
Elementary should be capped at 500 students, middle at 700 and high school at 1,000.
The atmosphere of the smaller schools would do more to improve graduation rates and test scores than other initiatives out there.
By Paul
March 29, 2007 2:38 PM | Link to this
Richardson and Coleman ought to be ashamed. There is no other education policy around with more positive research than smaller class sizes. Barnes passed smaller class sizes in 2000, educators mistakenly campaigned against him, Sonny took credit for smaller class sizes in 2004, and now the Rep. in the General Assembly are going back on this promise. No wonder Georgia schools are so terrible. If education is important, spend the money and get it done.
By Edward Tracey
March 30, 2007 9:05 AM | Link to this
I don’t have a problem with class size being larger. What they need to legislate is to give the teacher the power to decide if a student should not be in his class becasue of the student being a disciplinary problem.
We need to reinforce that education is a privilidge not a right.
By Alex
March 30, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this
I agree with smaller class sizes for lower grades. But what happens if to high schoolers when they get to college if we keep babying them. The notion that high school sizes should be capped at 1,000 is ludacris. How is this helping kids adjust to life after high school. If a student can’t find their way through these “mega” high schools then how are they supposed to find their way around the city of Atlanta. Additionally I ask you find land for the numerous additional high schools that would need to be built. Just a reminder state law says that new publchigh schools must sit on 55 acres of land. The Georgia Legislature is finally getting something right. Leave education plans to local governments where they belong.
By sandy
April 6, 2007 10:29 AM | Link to this
As a parent who has gone through pre school, elementary and high school stages with children, I FIRMLY believe that students LEARN better in smaller class sizes mainly because teachers have fewer distractions and more time is spent on delivering content that dealing with order. Also, teenagers have a LOT of other distractions to deal with during this crucial time of going through adolescence…
By sandy
April 6, 2007 10:29 AM | Link to this
As a parent who has gone through pre school, elementary and high school stages with children, I FIRMLY believe that students LEARN better in smaller class sizes mainly because teachers have fewer distractions and more time is spent on delivering content that dealing with order. Also, teenagers have a LOT of other distractions to deal with during this crucial time of going through adolescence…