Most of California's largest school districts are increasing class sizes in kindergarten through third grade, eroding the most expensive education reform in state history.
California Watch surveyed the 30 largest kindergarten through 12th grade districts in the state and found that many schools are pushing class sizes to 24 in some or all of the early grades. Other districts have raised classes to 30 students, reverting to levels not seen in more than a decade.
The changes at more than two-thirds of the districts surveyed have parents and teachers concerned that the academic performance of millions of children will suffer. California already ranks 48th in the nation in terms of student-to- teacher ratios.
And new measures are in place that will allow districts statewide to raise class sizes even higher and still receive more than $1 billion in state aid, money that was originally intended to reward schools that kept class sizes low.
Most districts in Stanislaus County have maintained small classes in the primary grades, but some will consider scaling back for the 2010-11 school year, taking advantage of flexibility in class-size reduction funding the state is giving districts meant to help those undergoing drastic budget cuts.
Modesto City Schools, the county's largest district with nearly 30,000 students enrolled, retained the 20-to-1 ratios this school year.
The expense of smaller class sizes might become an issue in coming years as districts grapple with consecutive years of shrinking budgets. The Modesto district faces $25 million in budget cuts for the next school year.
"Class size reduction identifies that both smaller class sizes and improvements in teacher quality are necessary to achieve the most significant and lasting gains in student achievement and to truly close the achievement gap," Modesto City Schools Superintendent Arturo Flores said. "I would hope that the state budget picture turns around so that we could continue to offer class-size reduction. The challenge is, can we afford it?"
Sylvan Union School District in north Modesto has increased class sizes by an average of two or three students, despite the program's popularity among parents and teachers. Third-grade teacher Julie Nelson taught 20 students in her Woodrow Wilson Elementary class last school year. That number jumped to 28 this year.
"It's definitely a challenge, given the range of skills and backgrounds my students have," Nelson said.
The state class-size reduction program was adopted 13 years ago with much fanfare. Its goal was to bring the state's crowded K-3 classrooms down to a maximum of 20 students for every teacher. As an incentive to participate, Sacramento gave districts a generous annual subsidy for every child, now $1,071 per child.
Carol Kocivar, California PTA's president-elect, said that adding just four students more than the base level of 20 represents a significant increase.
"When you start inching up above 20, kids don't get the individual attention they need," she said. The state has invested about $22 billion in direct subsidies into reducing class size, including $1.8 billion this school year. This is on top of billions more that individual districts have had to pay to cover the full costs
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The program was rooted in research from other states that showed students in smaller classes were more successful academically.
Even though the state never implemented measurements to track the academic impact of class-size reduction, the program has been enormously popular with parents and teachers. Yet because of the state's budget crisis, school officials are finding it harder than ever to sustain.
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