[Mpls] MPS Budget Reductions & Class Size Reductions

[Stewart346]

First, I want to apologize to Mike Atherton for using his name in the subject line of a post to mpls-issues. Someone was kind enough to let me know that it is not an appropriate behavior.

Second, I want to correct a statement I made about use of referendum funds. I said that every penny of referendum funds had been used for class size reduction. It is true that the referendum included both a class size reduction initiative and a commitment to spend some of the funds on early childhood education. I am gathering the gross dollar amounts used and will communicate that as soon as I have them.

As far as I am aware, there are very few methodologically adequate studies on the effects of class size reduction and those that do give solid results in one direction on the other do indicate the smaller class sizes do benefit children in the lower grades who are from minority groups. One of the many reasons that so many members of the committee feel comfortable with asking for class size reduction to be reviewed is the absence of evidence of benefit in upper elementary through senior high school.

I will try to get some better information on the real-world class size numbers. I can tell you that the higher the grade the lower the incidence of meeting the class size ratio goals. In the high schools, there are many instances of too-high class size ratios. The Board is concerned about this and, at their last meeting, Dr. Johnson was instructed to report back to the Board about why the class sizes are so large and what she is doing to remedy the situation.

I'd like to repeat my invitation for anyone with any reduction ideas that they haven't seen aired send them along and the committee will make sure they come to the attention of the district and the Board. The next Board of Education meeting is on Tuesday, 02/12/2002, at 4:00 p.m., at 807 NE Broadway (district headquarters) in the Assembly Room on the third floor. Dr. Johnson will be presenting the results of the public input efforts and, perhaps, beginning to make preliminary budget recommendations.

Thanks,
Ken Stewart, Chair
MPS Citizens' Budget Advisory Committee
Nokomis Village 12-9
612-722-4154