AUSTIN One of the oldest standards in Texas public schools the strict limit on the size of elementary classes could fall victim to the states expected revenue crunch next year.
Legislative leaders are suggesting it may be time to ease the costly class size standard to help school districts withstand the shaky economy and tight finances over the next few years. Local school boards and administrators also back the change.
Teacher groups are gearing up to fight any tampering with the requirement which limits classes in kindergarten through fourth grade to 22 pupils. They say its the main cause of student improvement over the last two decades and note that smaller classes are popular with parents.
But those seeking change question whether the standard is as beneficial as when it was enacted 25 years ago. Sen. Dan Patrick a leading proponent of revising the standard said the limit is costing school districts millions and millions of dollars every year without any evidence that it boosts achievement.
This is a number we have used without any scientific empirical data saying that it is the perfect number said Patrick R-Houston. He favors shifting to an average class size that schools would have to adhere to leaving the decision on the size of a specific class to local administrators.
Were not trying to put more students in the classroom were trying to solve a problem and get the best teaching situation for students and teachers he said. I trust our superintendents and principals and teachers to know what is best for their students.
Patrick is a member of a special House-Senate committee on school finance that is looking at class size and other education costs in advance of the 2011 legislative session.
Any statewide change in the standard could translate into hundreds of millions of dollars for the state and districts. The 22-pupil limit is costly because every time a class in the five affected grade levels hits 23 or more students a new class must be created with an additional teacher and classroom.
One superintendent from the Houston area said each new class costs his district $100000 to $150000. Superintendent David Anthony of the Cypress-Fairbanks school district also said his district added more than 70 classes last year.
The legislative committees recommendations could loom large as lawmakers grapple with what is expected to be a record revenue shortfall approaching $15 billion. About 60 percent of the states general revenue funds are spent on education.
The leaders of the special committee Sen. Florence Shapiro R-Plano and Rep. Rob Eissler R-The Woodlands said class size standards will be scrutinized. Shapiro and Eissler also chair the education committees of their respective chambers.
If a change seems feasible we could try it said Eissler who maintained that quality teachers are much more important than class size in improving student achievement. The research doesnt show any particular significance to 22 to 1. You really have to get below 18 to make a difference.
Eissler said he understands though why teachers would be reluctant to see any change in the standard.
The class-size limit has been in place since the Legislature approved a landmark education law in 1984 that also included the no pass-no play rule offered pre-kindergarten for low-income children and created the states high school graduation test.
Teacher leaders insisted the 22-pupil limit has been critical to achievement gains for elementary school students over the last two decades and vowed to oppose any effort to weaken or water down the standard.
But doing away with one of the best things the Legislature has ever done in education is no way to deal with budget problems said Eric Hartman of the Texas branch of the American Federation of Teachers.
Richard Kouri of the Texas State Teachers Association said that if anything the state should take the requirement even further by pushing class sizes down further at campuses that are low-performing or in danger of becoming low-performing.
Teacher groups also point out that school districts can get waivers to be exempted from the 22-to-1 limit if they claim they lack classroom space or cant find qualified teachers for additional classes. But superintendents dislike the requirement that they must notify parents whenever they seek exemptions for larger classes and in some cases must hold a public hearing.
This school year 144 districts received waivers from the state that allowed larger classes at 544 elementary schools. The Dallas school district had waivers at 31 campuses.
In all nearly 1800 classrooms with almost 40000 students had more than the maximum number of pupils this year.
The Texas Education Agency never denies waivers said Josh Sanderson of the Association of Texas Professional Educators insisting that school districts dont need to have the class size rule changed because they can get exempted from it when necessary.
Still Shapiro said the No. 1 money-saving request from school superintendents is for revision of the standard. Both the Texas Association of School Administrators and Texas Association of School Boards favored legislation last year that would have shifted elementary schools to an average class size limit.
They feel if we dont have any new money next year which we probably wont then what can the Legislature do to eliminate some of the mandates that most cumbersome and costly. And 22-to-1 is at the top of the list the senator said.
She noted that the Irving school district for instance could save $5 million a year if it had some flexibility in determining the size of its classes.
The accountability system would still be there and we would continue to hold their feet to the fire as far as student achievement she said. But how they get results should be their decision. There should be some flexibility.
Shapiro and Eissler said one solution might be to allow highly regarded teachers to have larger classes. Eissler suggested that such teachers might even get bonuses for agreeing to teach more students and Shapiro said teacher aides could be used in larger classes.
Twenty-five years ago when 22-to-1 was enacted classes generally had a teacher standing at the front of the room giving instruction Shapiro said. Today there are all kinds of technology options and interactive opportunities in classrooms. It is a different world.
tstutz@dallasnews.com
AUSTIN One of the oldest standards in Texas public schools the strict limit on the size of elementary classes could fall victim to the states expected revenue crunch next year.
Legislative leaders are suggesting it may be time to ease the costly class size standard to help school districts withstand the shaky economy and tight finances over the next few years. Local school boards and administrators also back the change.
Teacher groups are gearing up to fight any tampering with the requirement which limits classes in kindergarten through fourth grade to 22 pupils. They say its the main cause of student improvement over the last two decades and note that smaller classes are popular with parents.
But those seeking change question whether the standard is as beneficial as when it was enacted 25 years ago. Sen. Dan Patrick a leading proponent of revising the standard said the limit is costing school districts millions and millions of dollars every year without any evidence that it boosts achievement.
This is a number we have used without any scientific empirical data saying that it is the perfect number said Patrick R-Houston. He favors shifting to an average class size that schools would have to adhere to leaving the decision on the size of a specific class to local administrators.
Were not trying to put more students in the classroom were trying to solve a problem and get the best teaching situation for students and teachers he said. I trust our superintendents and principals and teachers to know what is best for their students.
Patrick is a member of a special House-Senate committee on school finance that is looking at class size and other education costs in advance of the 2011 legislative session.
Any statewide change in the standard could translate into hundreds of millions of dollars for the state and districts. The 22-pupil limit is costly because every time a class in the five affected grade levels hits 23 or more students a new class must be created with an additional teacher and classroom.
One superintendent from the Houston area said each new class costs his district $100000 to $150000. Superintendent David Anthony of the Cypress-Fairbanks school district also said his district added more than 70 classes last year.
The legislative committees recommendations could loom large as lawmakers grapple with what is expected to be a record revenue shortfall approaching $15 billion. About 60 percent of the states general revenue funds are spent on education.
The leaders of the special committee Sen. Florence Shapiro R-Plano and Rep. Rob Eissler R-The Woodlands said class size standards will be scrutinized. Shapiro and Eissler also chair the education committees of their respective chambers.
If a change seems feasible we could try it said Eissler who maintained that quality teachers are much more important than class size in improving student achievement. The research doesnt show any particular significance to 22 to 1. You really have to get below 18 to make a difference.
Eissler said he understands though why teachers would be reluctant to see any change in the standard.
The class-size limit has been in place since the Legislature approved a landmark education law in 1984 that also included the no pass-no play rule offered pre-kindergarten for low-income children and created the states high school graduation test.
Teacher leaders insisted the 22-pupil limit has been critical to achievement gains for elementary school students over the last two decades and vowed to oppose any effort to weaken or water down the standard.
But doing away with one of the best things the Legislature has ever done in education is no way to deal with budget problems said Eric Hartman of the Texas branch of the American Federation of Teachers.
Richard Kouri of the Texas State Teachers Association said that if anything the state should take the requirement even further by pushing class sizes down further at campuses that are low-performing or in danger of becoming low-performing.
Teacher groups also point out that school districts can get waivers to be exempted from the 22-to-1 limit if they claim they lack classroom space or cant find qualified teachers for additional classes. But superintendents dislike the requirement that they must notify parents whenever they seek exemptions for larger classes and in some cases must hold a public hearing.
This school year 144 districts received waivers from the state that allowed larger classes at 544 elementary schools. The Dallas school district had waivers at 31 campuses.
In all nearly 1800 classrooms with almost 40000 students had more than the maximum number of pupils this year.
The Texas Education Agency never denies waivers said Josh Sanderson of the Association of Texas Professional Educators insisting that school districts dont need to have the class size rule changed because they can get exempted from it when necessary.
Still Shapiro said the No. 1 money-saving request from school superintendents is for revision of the standard. Both the Texas Association of School Administrators and Texas Association of School Boards favored legislation last year that would have shifted elementary schools to an average class size limit.
They feel if we dont have any new money next year which we probably wont then what can the Legislature do to eliminate some of the mandates that most cumbersome and costly. And 22-to-1 is at the top of the list the senator said.
She noted that the Irving school district for instance could save $5 million a year if it had some flexibility in determining the size of its classes.
The accountability system would still be there and we would continue to hold their feet to the fire as far as student achievement she said. But how they get results should be their decision. There should be some flexibility.
Shapiro and Eissler said one solution might be to allow highly regarded teachers to have larger classes. Eissler suggested that such teachers might even get bonuses for agreeing to teach more students and Shapiro said teacher aides could be used in larger classes.
Twenty-five years ago when 22-to-1 was enacted classes generally had a teacher standing at the front of the room giving instruction Shapiro said. Today there are all kinds of technology options and interactive opportunities in classrooms. It is a different world.
tstutz@dallasnews.com
