On the one hand, Floridians amended the Constitution because legislators weren't funding education adequately. But on the other hand I'm all for responsible local school board control.
Unfortunately, I don't trust either body to do what's right.
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Senate looking at class-size change
November 22, 2009 9:16 PM
John Kennedy
The News Service of Florida
TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Senate, which steadily has resisted any attempt to overturn or soften state class-size restrictions, is looking more ready to deal.
With a $2.6 billion budget shortfall looming and stricter classroom limits poised to kick in, Sen. Mike Bennett filed legislation last week asking voters to repeal the 2002 amendment.
“The school districts have been begging me to change this thing,” Bennett told the News Service of Florida. “They say, ‘You’re killing us. We have to have some flexibility in the classroom.’ ”
Bennett’s not alone. Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, also has pledged to introduce legislation similar to that endorsed last year by the House, intended at keeping the standard mostly at a school-average basis and eliminating a tougher, per-classroom requirement set to begin in 2010-11.
The 2002 amendment caps classes at 18 students for kindergarten through third grade, 22 in fourth through eighth grade, and 25 in high school. The limits have been phased in and are required to be met as a school average, but would be imposed at the classroom level beginning next fall.
Earlier this year, the Senate refused to even hear House legislation aimed at loosening the class-size standard. The Senate also defeated an attempt by former Gov. Jeb Bush to water down the standard in 2006, with the legislation failing on a 20-20 vote.
But there are signs Senate resistance is weakening, as the state’s tide of fiscal red ink mounts. By avoiding the full phase-in of the class-size measure, Republican leaders say they could save millions of dollars.
Bennett’s legislation would ask voters to repeal the class-size measure outright.
While 60 percent of voters would have to support the amendment for it to become law, Bennett also faces a tall order getting the measure to a ballot. The Senate and House would each have to approve the proposal by a three-fifths majority.
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