Atlanta to increase class sizes, add two furlough days

By Eric Stirgus

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Atlanta school board unanimously adopted a $589 million budget on Monday night that will require larger class sizes for all grade levels and two furlough days for teachers in order to deal with declining revenues.

Class sizes will increase by two to four students, with the greatest increases coming in the first to third grades. The recommended staffing ratio is projected to rise from 17 to 21 students for each teacher. Class increases still will fall under state limits by two students on most levels, school officials said.

The district proposed the changes and ordered 10-percent cuts in each division to decrease spending by $67 million in the budget year that begins July 1.

The budget, according to school board chairwoman LaChandra Butler Burks, "represents good stewardship of taxpayer dollars." Critics argued the district could have cut deeper.

Atlanta school officials intend to eliminate 400 positions in various departments, counting on 300 through normal attrition that involves teachers and other officials. However, school officials did not have data on Monday night that confirmed how many teachers planned to retire or resign.

The district has no plans to increase the property tax rate, which is set for adoption on June 14.

Still, some residents and community groups were not pleased with district spending. The Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation has circulated a petition accusing the district of gross overspending. The foundation contends that DeKalb County, a school district with comparable racial demographics, spends about $1,300 less than Atlanta on instruction for each student and the county's students have higher SAT scores.

"The taxpayers have got to speak out," said John Sherman, the foundation's president.

Atlanta officials said comparisons are unfair because they don't account for other factors, such as class sizes and the percentage of students in reduced- or free-lunch programs.