This week the MPS Board reviews input received from the community concerning how to cut budgets. I attended one of the 'input' sessions a couple of weeks ago at Washburn; comment solicitation sheets were also mailed out in the community, and input was solicited via the District web site.
One question/issue addressed informally by the Board at the Washburn meeting solicited comments from speakers on the class size issue. The Board was interested in hearing people's thoughts on maintaining the current emphasis on class size. Given the new budget realities-- should priority continue to be placed on keeping class sizes low (esp. in lower grades), or could class size be increased by one or two students-- this in light of the successful class size reduction referendums of recent years. Some speakers at Washburn favored maintaining the lower class size initiative, while others voiced a conciliatory willingness to increase class size, given the changing overall budget situation-- feeling it was the Boards job to make the tough decisions in light of the ever-changing circumstances being faced. This morning I read of a similar situation (an 'oh too similar situation'... uncanny in fact) being faced by school districts in California: [LATimes http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-000008988feb05.story?coll=la%2Dnews %2Dlearning ]. On the one hand, I'd find it extremely difficult to see the MPS Board renege on the small class initiative after all the hard-sell associated with the referendums of recent years. Alternatively, I recognize we are not dealing with a static school system here. Laws have been changed, a national recession has placed added pressure on state and local budgets, the feds aren't carrying their fair share, and the MPS system is facing tremendous budgetary shortfalls. What needs to be cut and how is more money raised become the issues of the day-- today and tomorrow. In the end, I guess I'd accept increased class sizes and not hold it against the MPS Board-- recognizing the dynamics involved. I must also state that I was never really sold on the class size logic anyway, given the lack of 'scientific documentation.' There was some intuitive logic to the argument, and city residents bought the package on more than one occasion. My question to list members-- Do you feel that the MPS Board would loose public creditability if they were to stray from the 'lower class size' commitment of recent years- the promise of the referendums? Or, do you think city residents would understand the situation and not hold such a change (larger class sizes) against the School Board? Would such a change- larger class sizes- hurt future efforts to raise school funds at the local level? Thanks in advance. Michael Hohmann 13th _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
