State House poised to loosen class size limits
TALLAHASSEE (AP) – Democrats lost a bid to thwart a Republican-sponsored ballot proposal that would loosen Florida’s class size limits Wednesday in the House.
The measure now appears headed for passage in the chamber Thursday, but it may face difficulty in the Senate, which twice before has rejected proposals to weaken a state constitutional amendment that voters passed in 2002 to impose the class size requirements.
That amendment will cap classes at 18 students in kindergarten through third grade, 22 in fourth through eighth grades and 25 in high school beginning with the 2010-11 school year.
Critics, including many school officials and Republican lawmakers, say it’s too rigid, will cost too much and divert money from other needs including teacher salaries.
“It is undoable. It is inflexible, and it cannot be funded,” said Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel.
Weatherford is sponsoring a new amendment (HJR 919) that would impose the limits on only a school average basis, which schools currently must meet under phase-in requirements. It also would allow individual classes to exceed the limits by three students in kindergarten through third grade and five students in the other grades.
His proposal would go on the November 2010 ballot and require 60 percent voter approval.
The state already has spent nearly $16 billion on school construction, hiring more teachers and other expenses to phase in the class size amendment. A legislative staff report says Weather’s proposal is expected to save money but the amount has not yet been determined.
Rep. Marty Kiar, D-Davie, moved to revise the proposal to keep individual classroom limits but require that they be met only at the beginning of the school year. Schools then could add the same number of students Weatherford’s measure would permit if additional students enroll during the year.
House Prekindergarten-12 Appropriations Chairwoman Anitere Flores, R-Miami, argued Kiar’s proposal could result in more classrooms exceeding the limits than Weatherford’s amendment.
The House defeated Kiar’s motion 75-44 on a party line roll call, a test vote that indicated the amendment likely will pass. Republicans have a 76-44 House majority and it takes 72 votes – three-fifths – to get the amendment on the ballot.