Our public schools are still in need of real solutions for the impending crisis caused by poorly executed K-3 class size restriction. Many school districts simply need more time! Families and school leaders are spending this school year worrying about the impossibility of achieving both smaller class sizes and a robust, well-rounded education for all children. Some school districts are already laying-off teachers while others are starting to put two classes in one classroom – or hold special subject classes in hallways or off of a cart!
Ensuring enough space and additional teachers is leading to some awful solutions including increasing 4th and 5th grade classes that range from 30 to 36 kids or eliminating courses in middle and high school. This problem is real, and staff shouldn’t waste an academic year planning bad solutions for our children’s education. Please, on January 10th, make it your priority to fix #ClassSizeChaos.
Four steps you can take to restore a robust K-5 educational setting for our children:
1) Restore HB13 to original bill,
2) FULLY fund our enhancements teachers in January and share with local school districts,
3) At minimum allow a hardship waiver process to allow school districts, based on demonstrated need in the waiver application, sensible time to implement the new class sizes--from hiring more qualified teachers to finding adequate classroom space, and finally,
4) Restore sensible classroom size caps on grades 4 and 5.