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Schools Look For Relief From Class-Size Law

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By ADAM EMERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 5, 2009

TAMPA - A group advising the Hillsborough County schools superintendent on how to meet Florida's stringent class-size law worked up a list of suggestions today to argue for relief during the legislative session.

The committee, which has been meeting for about a year, urged the superintendent to press for changes to a Constitutional mandate that could cost Florida another $1.7 billion in the next two years.

The law states that schools must by 2010 reduce class sizes to no more than 18 students in kindergarten through third grade, 22 in grades four through eight and 25 in high school.

Currently, a school can meet those limits on average.

Among the suggestions:

Dampen the penalties if schools fail to meet the classroom caps. Under the law, if school districts exceed the class caps, they might lose control of the money they have. They might, for instance, be forced to transfer money from their operations into classroom construction.

Give schools the flexibility they need to meet classroom limits if schools exceed those caps after the school year starts.

And delay the full implementation of the law until the 2010-11 school year.

Should schools be forced to carry out the next step sooner than later, the Hillsborough committee will examine what's best to do. One way to do that might be to survey attendance zones countywide and balance school enrollment where needed, according to a preliminary report of the group's efforts.

"Regardless of when, at some point, we're going to have to implement this," said Melissa Erickson, a committee member and parent of a student at Williams Middle Magnet School.

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285.

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