The Fight

• In 2002, voters passed a Democrat-supported constitutional amendment to set a limit of 18 students per class in pre-kindergarten through third grade, 22 students in grades 4 through 8 and 25 students in high school - strict, important caps that are supposed to be met by 2010.
• Every year since the vote, Jeb Bush and Republicans in the legislature have fought tooth and nail in failed attempts to repeal this important improvement to our schools. Why? They say it doesn't work (but the evidence is strong and undeniable). They say we don't have the money (but we do). They say it will take too long (so hurry up and stop stalling)!
• Republicans want to pack more students into a classroom by increasing the cap by up to five students per class. In addition, their most recent repeal attempt would allow school districts to comply by assigning two teachers to a single class, which could potentially double the size of every class and lead to as many as 60 students in a single room.
• The repeal also has a strange, intrusive provision that requires school districts to spend at least 65 percent of their budget in the classroom. The glaring problem is that no one will say how 'classroom expenses' are defined - and no one can say that overall education funding won't be cut drastically.
• Republicans are promoting the 65% Deception as a "solution," however it is simply a thinly veiled attempt to circumvent the class size law.
• These changes are contrary to the vast amount of educational research that illustrates the simple fact that teaching is best accomplished in smaller classes. It's a pretty clear reason why the repeal is opposed by teachers and the Florida PTA.
• And they aren't alone. It also goes against the wishes of most parents in the state as well. That's why voters originally approved the caps in 2002 and included them into the state constitution.
• Recent state polls show that voters throughout Florida haven't changed their opinion of the importance of limiting class size. According to a new St. Petersburg Times poll, a 70% of Floridians continue to support the class size law.
• Other supporters include the Orlando Sentinel newspaper. "Sooner or later, Gov. Jeb Bush and Republican lawmakers will get the message that voters knew what they were doing four years ago when they approved the caps and wrote them into the state constitution," the Sentinel in an editorial condemning their efforts to overturn the class size caps voters approved in 2002.
• This is Bush's last chance to tear apart the class size law he hates. Sign the petition to stop him and other Republicans from putting special interests above our children!