Meek lobbies to save class size amendment
TALLAHASSEE (AP) – U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek said Tuesday that lawmakers shouldn’t use hard economic times as an excuse to loosen class size limits, which have served as an insurance policy against excessive spending cuts for Florida’s public schools.
The Miami Democrat and U.S. Senate candidate visited individual lawmakers and held a news conference to oppose proposals that would weaken the limits. Meek led a petition drive and referendum campaign in 2002 that put a class size amendment into the Florida Constitution with strong support from teachers unions.
Opponents, including many local school officials, say it’s too rigid and costs too much, diverting money from other education needs.
“To start rolling back on the class size amendment at this time is only going to make the (school budget) situation worse for the future,” Meek said. “The investment that has been made in public education is something that we can all applaud.”
He noted Florida students have improved their standardized test scores since the state began phasing in the class size limits but acknowledged other factors may have contributed. Most Republican politicians have credited school grading, other accountability measures and higher academic standards that began under former Gov. Jeb Bush.
The House is set later this week to vote on a proposed amendment (HJR 919) sponsored by Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, that would loosen the class size limits. A similar measure (SJR 1248) has cleared just one of three committees so far in the Senate.
Both have received bipartisan although not unanimous support.
Class sizes are now calculated as a schoolwide average, but in the 2010-11 school year, schools will be required to meet the requirement in each classroom.
Weatherford’s amendment would stop the change from going into effect.
His proposal would go on the 2010 ballot if approved by a three-fifths majority in each chamber. It would then require 60 percent voter approval to stop the enactment of classroom by classroom limits.
The current limits are 18 students in kindergarten through third grade, 22 in fourth through eighth grade and 25 in high school for core classes such as English, math and science. Non-core classes such as physical education and music are not covered.
The new amendment still would prohibit individual classes from exceeding the limits by more than three students in kindergarten through third grade and five in the other grades.
After meeting with Meek, Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, said he still supports the schoolwide average amendment and that the Senate is likely to vote on it this year.
“I don’t know if it’s going to finish the day, but I personally think it’s a good, solid place to be,” Atwater said.
At a news conference, Meek said the new amendment would be too weak because the Legislature could change who’s counted in the school average.
“I remember when guidance counselors were placed into the school average,” Meek said.