Urgent! Legislative Coordinators:
Urge Lawmakers to Oppose Class Size Increases
CTA is battling a well-intentioned but bad measure that would boost class sizes by up to three students per classroom in existing K-3 classes.
The bill, CTA-opposed AB 2431 by Assembly Education Chair Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles), aims to expand the class-size reduction program to new grades in some schools with the lowest rankings on the state's Academic Performance Index (API). But instead of providing new funds to underwrite the program, the bill would get the money by increasing class sizes in other schools – and that's a very bad idea.
The CTA-opposed bill is scheduled for a hearing in the Assembly Education Committee next Wednesday, April 26.
Your contacts with members of that committee – and your Assembly Member – will be crucial to killing the measure.
Background
CTA has fought long and hard to win a class-size reduction program that has capped enrollments at 20 students per classroom. Over the years, lawmakers have proposed some changes to save money or provide "local flexibility" by allowing districts to cram more students into these "reduced" classes. CTA has prevailed in those battles by defeating the bills.
Assembly Member Goldberg's new measure seeks to find a way to expand the class-size reduction program into additional grades in schools of greatest need. Her bill, however, provides no funding for the program expansion, so she is proposing to take money from other schools, instead. Specifically, her bill would boost the K-3 class-size cap in Decile 7-10 schools to 23 students and in Decile 4-6 schools to 22 students. The money "saved" from these larger class sizes would be used to reduce the class sizes in Decile 1-3 schools to 20 students in Grades K-5.
CTA supports class sizes of no more than 20 students to one teacher in all grades in all schools.
The Association is willing to support legislation that would move the state in that direction. CTA remains opposed to all legislation that would move us backward – to a time when more than 20 students were jammed into K-3 classrooms. Allowing the 20-student ceiling to be broken would undermine all efforts to make 20-1 a reality in all K-12 classrooms in California.
Make These Points to Lawmakers
- AB 2431 is a bad idea because it will reduce class sizes in some classrooms at the expense of other students.
- CTA believes that all students should have classrooms with no more than 20 students per teacher. That way, teachers can provide the individual attention all students need to succeed.
- CTA would support phasing in more classrooms into the class-size reduction program with no more than 20 students per classroom.
Here's What Coordinators Should Do
Coordinators should encourage all CTA members to call or write to their own Assembly Member, c/o The State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814, in opposition to AB 2431 (Goldberg).
For more information, contact CTA Legislative Advocate Estelle Lemieux or GR Communications Consultant Len Feldman at 916.325.1500.