Atlanta approves higher class sizes. Here's why that's a bad idea.

In a special meeting tonight, the Atlanta Board of Education reversed an earlier vote this week rejecting an administration request to apply for a waiver of state rules on the maximum number of students in a class.

Credit: Maureen Downey

Credit: Maureen Downey

In an about-face, the board approved the plus-5 waiver sought by APS leadership, meaning class sizes in Atlanta schools could rise 5 students beyond the state maximum. APS school chief Meria Carstarphen said the plus-5 waiver does not mean class sizes will jump; the waiver provides schools with needed flexibility, she said.

In anticipation of the vote, Jarod Apperson sent this note of caution to Dr. Carstarphen about allowing class sizes to rise.

A forensic auditor now working on a doctorate in economics at Georgia State, Apperson has made APS a focus and blogs about the district at Grading Atlanta.

With his permission, here is Apperson's letter to Carstarphen. His information on class size has application to every metro system:

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