FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
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T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
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Members
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SALLY BRADSHAW
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LINDA J. EADS, ED.D.
CHARLES PATRICK GARCÍA
JULIA L. JOHNSON
WILLIAM L. PROCTOR, PH.D.
MEMORANDUM
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TO:
School District Superintendents
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FROM:
Jim
Horne
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DATE:
June 11, 2003
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SUBJECT:
Implementation of Class Size Reduction Requirements
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JIM HORNE
Commissioner of Education
This memorandum provides background information on the Class Size Reduction Amendment
and the class size reduction implementing legislation (Senate Bill 30A). In addition, attached is
a report pro
viding the Baseline Class Size Averages for each district. The Baseline Class Size
Averages will be used to determine each district’s compliance with the class size reduction
requirement beginning in October 2003.
In summary, the baseline information indicates most districts are below the maximum district
class size average of 25 students per class at the 9-12 grade group. Three districts exceed the
maximum in this grade group.
In Prekindergarten through 3 and 4-8 grade groups, many districts exceed the maximum district
class size averages. In Prekindergarten through 3 grade group, 60 districts exceed the maximum
class size average of 18 students per class.
In the 4-8 grade group, 41 districts exceed the
maximum class size average of 22 students per class.
District level and school level averages will be used to determine compliance with the class size
reduction requirement through 2007-2008. In 2008-2009 compliance will be determined at the
individual classroom level. Therefore, budget and program decisions on how best to reach the
constitutional mandate to reduce class sizes will require careful, ongoing analyses of class size
averages to ensure planned class size reductions will enable the district to meet the individual
class size maximums.
325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 1514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 201-7400 • www.fldoe.org
School District Superintendents
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June 11, 2003
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Page Two
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Determination of Baseline Class Size Averages
To determine the baseline data for each district, the Department established a one-time, special
collection of information from districts to update the February 2003 student membership survey.
Because the data system for reporting was not originally designed to accommodate the collection
of information either at the classroom level or for pullout classes, a major change was made to
the collection formats to add three data elements for reporting and calculating the average class
size data. These new elements include the following:
1.
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Classroom Identification Number as reported in the Florida Inventory of School House
(FISH);
2.
Scheduling Method; and
3.
Day of Week Scheduled.
The Baseline District Class Size Averages include only core courses. Core courses are courses
defined as mathematics, language arts/reading, science, social studies, foreign language, English
for Speakers of Other Languages, exceptional student education, and courses taught in
traditional self-contained elementary school classrooms.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Constitutional Requirement
Section 1 of Article IX of the State Constitution was amended in November 2002 establishing,
by the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, the maximum number of students in core-
curricula courses assigned to a teacher in each of the following three grade groupings: (1)
Prekindergarten through grade 3, 18 students; (2) grades 4 through 8, 22 students; and (3) grades
9 through 12, 25 students. Beginning with the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the Legislature shall
provide sufficient funds to reduce the average number of students in each classroom by at least
two-students-per-year until the number of students per classroom does not exceed the maximum.
Payment of the costs associated with reducing class size to meet these requirements is the
responsibility of the state and not of local school districts.
Implementing Legislation—Quality Education Act (SB-30A)
The Legislature enacted SB-30A specifically implementing the reduction of the average number
of students in each classroom by at least two-students-per-year beginning with the 2003-2004
fiscal year until the maximum number of students per classroom does not exceed the 2010-2011
School District Superintendents
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June 11, 2003
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Page Three
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maximum. If a district’s class size does not meet the required maximum, the district must reduce
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to the constitutional maximum in each of the three grade groupings or the average number of
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students in each of the three grade groupings by at least two-students-per-year as follows:
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2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 at the
district
level
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2006-2007 and 2007-2008 at the
school
level
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2008-2009 at the
classroom
level
SB-30A includes five key princip
le
s:
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Clarity
—districts should have clear goals and definitions for class size reduction
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Efficiency
—districts should implement class size reduction in the most efficient means
possible
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Flexibility
—districts will have complete flexibility to reduce class size
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Equity
—funding for class size will maintain equity among districts
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Accountability
—the State will hold districts accountable for meeting the reduction goals
Fundamental Policies
o
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The State provides funds to pay the cost of reducing the statewide average number of
students in each of the three grade groupings by two-students-per-year.
o
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The class size reduction funds, both operating and capital outlay, are allocated equitably
among all districts based on established operating and capital outlay formulas.
o
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State operating funds are provided as a categorical allocation within the Florida
Education Finance Program (FEFP) with each district receiving its proportionate share of
the state total.
o
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State capital outlay funds are provided for class size reduction facilities that are in excess
of the facilities in the district’s 5-year capital facilities plan.
o
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Each district is responsible for determining the details of how it will meet the class size
requirement and is provided flexibility to meet this requirement.
o
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When a district has met the required maximum class size or the two-students-per-year
reduction requirement, it may use its class size categorical funds for other purposes,
while giving priority to using the funds to increase teacher pay and implementing the
salary career ladder.
Clarity
SB-30A provides clear definitions, procedures, and goals for reducing the average number of
students per classroom by at least two-students-per-year until the maximum class size provided
in the Constitution is reached.
School District Superintendents
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June 11, 2003
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Page Four
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Core-curricula courses are defined. (s. 1003.01 (14) F.S.)
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Each school district’s February 2003 student membership survey updated to include
classroom identification numbers is the baseline to determine whether a district meets the
maximum class size requirement and to measure each district’s reduction by at least two-
students-per-year in the number of students per classroom for each of the three grade
groupings. (s. 1003.03 (2), F.S.)
o
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Each district’s compliance with the maximum class size requirement or the reduction of
at least two-students-per-year will be determined each year by the Department of
Education based on the October student membership survey.
o
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If a district fails to achieve the class size reduction requirement, a portion of the district’s
class size reduction operating funds will be transferred to the district’s class size
reduction capital outlay fund.
Flexibility—Toolbox of Implementation Options
District flexibility is provided to meet the required maximum class size or to accomplish the
required two-students-per-year reduction. (s. 1003.03 (3), F.S.) Wide ranges of options are
available to assist all districts with meeting the class size requirement. Districts may do any of
the following:
o
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Adopt policies to encourage qualified students to take dual enrollment courses at
community colleges.
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Adopt policies to encourage students to enroll in courses from the Florida Virtual School.
o
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Repeal school board policies that require students to have more than the state-required
level of 24 credits to graduate from high school.
o
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Adopt policies to allow students to graduate from high school as soon as they pass the
grade 10 FCAT and complete the courses required for high school graduation.
o
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Use methods to maximize use of instructional staff, such as changing required teaching
loads and scheduling planning periods; deploying district employees that have
professional certification to the classrooms; and using adjunct educators.
o
Use innovative methods to reduce the cost of school construction.
o
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Use joint-use facilities through partnerships with community colleges, state universities,
and private colleges and universities.
o
Adopt alternative methods of class scheduling, such as block scheduling.
o
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Redraw school attendance zones to maximize use of facilities while minimizing the
additional use of transportation.
o
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Operate schools beyond the normal operating hours to provide classes in the evening or
operate more than one session of school during the day.
o
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Use year-round schools and other nontraditional calendars that do not adversely impact
annual assessment of student achievement.
School District Superintendents
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June 11, 2003
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Page Five
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Review and consider amending any collective bargaining contracts that hinder the
implementation of class size reduction.
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Use any other approach not prohibited by law.
Equity in Funding
The Legislature adopted a policy and funding formula for calculating the amount of state funds
appropriated to pay the cost of reducing the statewide average number of students in each of the
three grade grouping by two-students-per-year. (2003-2004 General Appropriations Act)
Each district, as a result of choices made in how it has used funds received annually under the
Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP), has established the district’s current class size.
These choices in some districts have created class sizes near the constitutional maximum while
in other districts they have created class sizes that are above the maximum. The allocation of
state funds for class size reduction should neither reward nor penalize a district based on
previous local choices made before the class size requirement was enacted. The funding and
implementation of the class size requirement must be incorporated within the basic constitutional
provision of a uniform system of free public schools; therefore, the operating funds provided for
class size reduction must be allocated to all districts equitably based on the factors used for
allocating operating funds.
The FEFP funds all students in a school district. If a district reduces its average class size by at
least two-students-per-year, the district still has the same total number of students. Because all
districts are entitled to equitable funding for all students, any funds provided to reduce class size
must also be allocated to all districts equitably. Current classroom teacher costs are 55.98% of
the statewide total annual operating expenditures by all districts. Classroom teacher costs are
defined as expenditures limited to salary and benefits for classroom teachers and substitute
teachers, and computer support for classroom teachers. State funds to reduce the statewide
average class size by two-students-per-year are calculated using a class size reduction allocation
factor based on classroom teacher costs of 55.98% of total operating expenditures and are
allocated as a categorical fund within the FEFP.
Capital outlay funds are provided through a capital outlay bonding program and are allocated in
two ways. One way is to provide funds to all 67 districts based upon base student enrollment
(25%), growth in student enrollment (65%) and square footage and age of existing facilities
(10%). The other way is to provide recognition funds to districts that have provided voted local
funds from ½ cent school sales surtax, 1 cent local government infrastructure sales surtax or ad
valorem millage. These funds are allocated based on each district’s proportion of the total local
voted revenue.
School District Superintendents
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June 11, 2003
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Page Six
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Accountability
Accountability begins with the 2003-2004 school year. (s. 1003.03 (4), F.S.) If a district’s
baseline class size, established by the February 2003 student membership survey updated to
include classroom identification numbers as required by the Department of Education, is greater
than the constitutional maximum, the district must reduce to the constitutional maximum or
reduce the district-wide average for each of the three grade groupings by at least two students.
The measurement of compliance with class size reduction will be a district’s October 2003
student membership survey. If a district fails to meet the reduction requirement, a portion of its
class size reduction operating categorical fund will be transferred to the district’s class size
reduction capital outlay fund. Failure to reduce its average class size by the required two
students in the 2003-2004 school year does not relieve the district from the requirement to reduce
its average in 2004-2005 from the February 2003 baseline by at least four students in each of the
three grade groupings. The measurement of compliance with the four-student reduction
requirement will be the districts’ October 2004 student membership survey.
Beginning in the 2005-2006 school year, if a district has not complied with the required
reduction of class size, it forfeits some of its flexibility and is required to implement one or more
statutorily prescribed measures.
Beginning in the 2006-2007 school year, if a district has not complied with the required
reduction of class size, it forfeits more of its flexibility and must implement a constitutional
compliance plan developed by the Department of Education until the district class size complies
with the Constitution in 2010-2011.
Monitoring Activities
The Department has worked since passage of the class size reduction amendment to restructure
data collection and analysis to support assistance and monitoring of the implementation of this
new requirement. The Department will continue to play an active role, in cooperation with the
Governor’s Office and Legislature to ensure that districts have accurate information for
implementation of the class size reduction requirements.
Additionally, the Department will
continue to collect data and monitor the reporting of data to ensure a proper accounting of the
status of each school district in relation to the class size reduction requirement.
The monitoring activities will be a cooperative process involving both the Bureau of Education
Information and Accountability Services and the school district’s MIS and facilities staff.
Districts will be chosen for monitoring visits by a combination of an analysis of the calculated
class size data and classroom utilization factors. Schools and classes from the selected districts
will be randomly selected and districts will be notified as to the selections. District staff will be
School District Superintendents
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June 11, 2003
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Page Seven
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expected to provide items such as class rosters, teachers’ grade books, and similar documentation
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to verify the accurate reporting of the student and teacher information used to calculate the class
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size. District staff will also be expected to provide evidence that the classroom being reported
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with that student is, in fact, the correct classroom. Acceptable evidence is the district’s detailed
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facility information which will then be compared to the school’s master bell schedule.
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Districts which are not within acceptable tolerance (0.5 percent) will be asked to prepare a plan
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for bringing the data into tolerance.
This plan will identify the steps the district will take to
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manage the data quality process which will result in a higher percentage of facility matches and
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schedule matches.
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If you have additional questions on the implementation of the class size reduction requirements,
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please contact Jeanine Blomberg, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Accountability, Research and
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Measurement at (850) 245-0437 or Jeanine.Blomberg@fldoe.org.
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JH/JB
Attachment
Cc:
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Florida School District Board Chair
persons
School
District
Finance Officers
MIS
Coordinators
