Small Classes in California Schools Face Big Problems
A program to reduce class sizes in early grades is struggling due to rising costs and limited funding.
The Class Size Reduction Program began in 1996 under Governor Pete Wilson. It was one of the biggest education changes in the country. The program focused on the youngest students, from kindergarten to third grade. These are the years when children's brains learn the most easily.
Before 1996, these early grade classes had an average of 31 students each. Wilson's bold plan cut this number to no more than 20 students per class. Teachers could now spend more time helping each individual student. The change was meant to improve learning for California's youngest children.
When the program first started, local school districts had to pay some of the costs. Wilson wanted districts to choose to participate and invest their own money. Capistrano Unified paid 10% of the costs in the first year. The state covered the rest of the expenses.
Today, the financial picture looks very different. Capistrano Unified now pays 24% of the program's costs, and this percentage grows each year. The gap between state funding and actual costs keeps getting wider. This happens because teacher salaries have increased much faster than state funding.
If something drastic doesn't happen soon, I fear that one of the most significant educational reform initiatives this country has seen will die a slow but certain death.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. In what year did California start the Class Size Reduction Program?
2. How many students were typically in kindergarten through third-grade classes before 1996?
3. Who was the governor that created the Class Size Reduction Program?