Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments class size

I think one of the reasons there has been no clear cut positive effects in FL is that at the same time the state has changed the end zone for teachers by implementing a bunch more end of course exams, changing the FCAT and implementing a new teacher evaluation system - all of which has the teachers here going in circles trying to get it all sorted out. The other issue for smaller schools is that they have had to deny access to some honors classes for bright kids because they don't have the money to hire another teacher to teach another section, but can squeeze the kids into other non-honors classes where there is often times more room.
DD is having to take 2 classes through virtual school next year because there is no space for her in the classes because of class size restrictions. (The fines for the schools that break the law are pretty steep.)
I know as a science teacher it is virtually impossible to successfully do labs with classes larger than about 22 because the amount of equipment the school usually has was based on having a smaller class size, so the more kids in a class the more per group, which leads to less active participation by more kids, and having to skip some of the more complicated labs because of the dangers of having too many bodies in a small space. The safety laws down here actually set the maximum number of kids per science lab based on the size available to move around in the lab area. Most rooms are the size for 24, but with class size laws, most typically have 25. If someone were to get hurt, the science teacher would be held personally responsible because of the way the law is written, as opposed to the school being responsible because they put the extra kid in the class against, often against the teachers better judgement.