Empty Promise

Better performing students was the promise of reducing class sizes in Florida when voters approved the class size amendment to the Florida Constitution in November 2002.

But seven years later there's more doubt than ever that smaller class sizes have any significant effect on student performance.

The legislation implementing the amendment required the Legislature to provide the school funding based on relatively less costly district-wide averages spelled out in implementing legislation. But beginning with the 2006-07 school year, that legislation shifted the requirements to a much tougher, but more flexible school level standard while continuing to require districts to lower average class sizes by two students per year.