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Saturday, August 21, 2010

Hike in class size squarely in lap of Legislature

Aug. 21, 2010 12:00 AM
Editorial
The Arizona Republic

An ugly reality confronted parents of Scottsdale and Fountain Hills students as school began:

How they vote matters.

 Classes in these districts are more crowded than anyone likes, especially parents. Kindergarten classes have as many as 27 children in Fountain Hills and 30 in Scottsdale. First-, second- and third-grade classes are larger yet. A fourth-grade class in Fountain Hills hit 34 students.

Scottsdale parents say they voted for an override last year believing it would keep elementary classes small. And they voted for Proposition 100, the temporary sales-tax increase, to save teachers' jobs.

So why, they ask, did classes get so big?

It's a good question. The answer lies at the state Capitol.

Putting it politely, the Arizona Legislature is no friend of public education. Once, there was enough support and gubernatorial leadership to fund all-day kindergarten. But supporters lost elections. When gaping budget deficits developed, those who opposed all-day kindergarten from the beginning jumped at the chance to slash the funding.

This put districts in a bind. Scottsdale and Fountain Hills, like many districts, included in their K-3 overrides a legally binding promise to maintain all-day kindergarten.

If districts have to backfill what the state has taken away, it leaves less override money to keep class sizes lower. The only silver lining is that, because Prop. 100 passed, those classes didn't get bigger yet.

Parents are quick to complain to the local superintendent or school board. Legislators escape responsibility.

This is not a rare occurrence. Lawmakers get it into their heads that schools should offer this class or attack that social ill. They mandate the action but provide no funding.

Districts have to hire administrators to implement the programs and file reports, which leads to politicians complaining that schools don't spend enough in the classroom. The charge resonates with the public, which correctly wants more money spent on teachers and less on administration.

This is all worth remembering as you cast your ballot for legislative candidates in the Aug. 24 primary and Nov. 2 general election. If education is important to you, take the time to explore the candidates' positions on the issue.

Do they value public education, or use it as a convenient whipping boy? Do they talk about letting school boards make decisions, or insist that the Legislature must impose a one-size-fits-all solution? When they talk about accountability, are they talking about measuring results or tying the hands of local education leaders?

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