Amendment 8 Would Loosen Class-Size Limits (FL)

November 2, 2010

Many school administrators are split from their teachers over an amendment on Tuesday’s ballot that would loosen Florida’s limits on the number of children who can be in public school classes.

Amendment 8’s supporters, including many administrators, say it’ll give schools the flexibility they need to avoid such drastic measures as busing kids to other schools and combining two grades in a single classroom to comply with class-size requirements.

Opponents, including many teachers, say Amendment 8 is really about funding because it’s expected to save $350 million to $1 billion in class-size costs every year. That’s money, they say, public schools no longer would get because the amendment doesn’t say where it would go.
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As with all amendments, it will require 60 percent voter approval.

Placed on the ballot by the Republican-controlled Legislature, the measure’s backers also include most GOP politicians and business interests. Both major candidates for governor, Republican Rick Scott and Democrat Alex Sink, also support it.

The Florida Education Association, the statewide teachers union, and its local affiliates are spearheading the opposition. Other opponents include the Florida PTA, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Florida Association for Child Care Management. Miami state Sen. Alex Villalobos, one of the few Republican politicians who oppose the amendment, chairs the Vote No on 8 coalition formed by the FEA.

Voters adopted the existing class-size limits through a citizen initiative in 2002 over the opposition of then-Gov. Jeb Bush. It has been phased in since then and for the first time this fall it’s going into full effect by requiring every core curriculum class to have no more than 18 students in pre-kindergarten through third grade, 22 in fourth through eight grade and 25 in high school.

Amendment 8 would increase those limits by three students in pre-kindergarten through third grade and five in the other grades. Schools also would have to abide by the existing caps on an average basis just as they did last year under the phase-in plan.