Battle Continues to Protect Class Size Reduction

Key Victories Won, But...

CTA and a coalition of public school advocates this week won a key victory in the ongoing battle to protect the state's most important educational reform - class size reduction.

The victory came in the form of a defeat of one and the derailing of three other CTA-opposed bills that would cram more students into California's already overcrowded classrooms. Only one CTA-opposed measure gained the approval of an important legislative committee, and CTA and its allies are hard at work to defeat it in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

All of the "flexibility" bills CTA is battling are nearly the same.

The biggest victory on April 30 occurred when the Assembly Education Committee voted down one CTA-opposed measure and blocked the movement of two others. The action came after a lengthy hearing in a chamber packed with CTA representatives, teachers, parents, and other opponents of the measures.

The Assembly Education panel voted down SB 10x, a measure by Sen. Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto), which would have boosted class size by 10%. Two other bills - AB 42 by Assembly Member Lynne Daucher (R-Brea), and AB 1129 by Assembly Education Chair Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) - were withdrawn by their authors. That action means the measures can see no further action this legislative year.

That same day, though, the Senate Education Committee moved a bill that CTA and its partners are working right now to kill. SB 556, also by Sen. Sher, was approved by the committee and could ultimately head to the Senate floor.

A second comprehensive CTA-opposed measure could gain another consideration as early as next week in Senate Education. CTA-opposed SB 837 by Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Los Angeles) has more complicated provisions that would allow increases in the class size reduction program in virtually all schools but those in deciles 1-3 on the Academic Performance Index.

Because bills remain alive that would increase class sizes by 10% and put California dead last with the largest classes in the nation, CTA and its coalition partners are continuing the statewide mobilization to defeat these and any other measures that should surface.

During April, hundreds of CTA member lobbyists from around the state came to Sacramento to tell lawmakers just how much difference the current class size reduction program has made to their students' educational achievement. Other events are slated in coming weeks as part of the Association's statewide mobilization in support of the vital program.

The class size reduction program, which provides state incentive funding to districts that cap class enrollment at 20 students in grades K-3, is under attack by school administrator groups, who would divert the program's instructional funding to other district programs.

The administrators say the legislation that they are backing would simply grant school districts more "flexibility" in implementing the program, but CTA representatives point out that "flexibility" is a code word for power to use the appropriations to support the bureaucracy at the expense of the classroom.

CTA, the California State PTA, and the Coalition for Smaller Class Sizes have been urging lawmakers to block efforts by school administrators to cram more students into classrooms. Administrators have been claiming they need more flexibility because of the state's budget crisis. Educators are quick to point out that boosting class size won't save the state a dime or help solve the budget crisis - but it will hurt student achievement and divert precious dollars away from the classroom.

"It's ironic that now, when we have incredible research telling us that class size is one of most important programs we have had in decades, that lawmakers are talking about increasing class size," California State PTA Education Advocate Carol Kocivar told reporters at a coalition news conference on April 29.

Nancy Waltz, president of the San Juan Teachers Association, stressed that "changing the class size law will not reduce the deficit nor save the state one dime. It will simply allow districts to increase class size and keep the money for other programs. Lawmakers should just say no."

Besides CTA, Californians for Smaller Class Sizes also includes the California State PTA, the California Association for the Education of Young Children, the California Coalition for Youth; Educators for Social Responsibility - Sacramento Chapter; No Cuts 4 Kids; Chicano Youth Center; Oakland Kids First; the California State League of United Latin American Citizens; the National Coalition of Hispanic Organizations; the California Black Chamber of Commerce; the Black American Political Association of California; the California Church IMPACT; Madres Del Este De Los Angeles; Martin Luther King Democratic Club - San Diego County; Salvadoran American Leadership & Education Fund; Pueblo y Salud, Inc.; Black Employees Association; People for the American Way; Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN); West Bay Pilipino Multi-Service Center; Sacramento Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce; Japanese Cultural Community Center of Northern CA; Congress of California Seniors; California Legislative Council of Older Americans; Industrial Areas Foundation; the Gray Panthers of Long Beach, Central Contra Costa County, Greater Oakland, and San Francisco.

Coalition representatives also note that administrators had complete flexibility in class size for years. The result is California's overcrowded classrooms.

Supporters of the Class Size Reduction program are emphasizing that:

Research proves smaller classes improve student learning. They cite a study by the Public Policy Institute of California that found five of California's largest school districts have seen a significant increase in student test scores since the class size program began.

Smaller classes are especially vital for high-need students. For instance, research in the Los Angeles Unified School District determined that reading scores rose by 19.5%, math scores by 29.2%, and language scores by 22.5% for high-need students in small classes.

Parents and teachers know smaller classes work. More than 70% voters believe reducing class sizes is a very effective way to improve public schools.

CTA Members:
Contact your members of the California Assembly and California Senate and urge them to vote against SB 556 (Sher), SB 837 (Alarcon) and any other measure that would boost class sizes. Make sure that you also get in touch with members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which is expected to take up SB 556 next. Also urge Senate Education Committee members not to approve SB 837 (Alarcon).

Committee member and contact information are included below.

(Note: clicking on the e-mail notation should allow you to e-mail directly to each lawmaker. If the link does not work, you may e-mail each by using the address firstname.lastname@sen.ca.gov. For instance, Sen. Dede Alpert's e-mail address is dede.alpert@sen.ca.gov.)

Senate Education Committee: SB 837 (Alarcon):

(Note: clicking on the e-mail notation should allow you to e-mail directly to each lawmaker. If the link does not work, you may e-mail each by using the address firstname.lastname@sen.ca.gov. For instance, Sen. John Vasconcellos' e-mail address is john.vasconcellos@sen.ca.gov.)