Class Size

THERE'S nothing like the excitement that occurs when understanding conquers ignorance. But spontaneous knowledge is most frequently achieved when class size allows a teacher to give a child some personal attention during the day.That fact is reflected in the numerous favorite-teacher stories concerning a moment of catharsis when the mind is honed by an instructor who took the time to work one-on-one.It's easier to instruct when a teacher isn't overworked. Finding the time for individual instruction is difficult when classes are large and include students with collateral problems that affect learning.

Any plan that provides a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants will not be complete unless it includes a repayment plan for all the benefits provided to them by American taxpayers ("Migrant worker plan in works," Feb. 22). This includes food stamps, Medicaid and especially our public school systems. Maryland spends an average of $11,000 per pupil per school year, which is funded by taxpayers whether or not they have children. The only group in America that is exempt from contributing to school funding is illegal immigrants.

Anne Arundel County voters made it very clear during last fall's elections that they wanted more attention paid and major improvement made to their schools.So Shirley Murphy, one of the new County Council members that voters swept into office, has spent the past month researching what the 13 schools in her district of Pasadena need most. She's wandered school halls, talked to teachers and met with parents at every building. She says she found some good, some bad and some surprising things.

Imagine how my members feel about the latest press release from Baltimore County Public Schools about class size that states, "Baltimore County Public Schools' class sizes compare favorably with state, national averages. " The misleading information was not in The Sun, but in that press release. Try and explain that information to the multitude of high school teachers who have over 30 students in their classes ("Crowded classrooms," May 15). This song has been sung for decades when describing class sizes.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is a smart man. Arguably, he has been the most effective person to ever hold that office, charting a bold national course of school reform. But he said a really dumb thing recently. In a talk to the National Governors Association, as reported by The New York Times, he said that he would prefer to put his own school-age children in a classroom with 28 students led by a "fantastic" teacher than in one with 23 students and a "mediocre" teacher.

Imagine how my members feel about the latest press release from Baltimore County Public Schools about class size that states, "Baltimore County Public Schools' class sizes compare favorably with state, national averages. " The misleading information was not in The Sun, but in that press release. Try and explain that information to the multitude of high school teachers who have over 30 students in their classes ("Crowded classrooms," May 15). This song has been sung for decades when describing class sizes.

Baltimore County's decision to cut nearly 200 teaching positions last year has had far-reaching consequences in high schools, where hundreds of classes have been dropped from the rolls, leaving many more students packed into classrooms. At Dulaney High School, for example, a chemistry teacher with a class of 34 said his students must take turns doing lab experiments because the stations are too small to accommodate more than three or four at a time. A journalism teacher doesn't have enough computers for each of her budding writers, so she sends part of the class to the library to do the work.

The New York Times said in an editorial May 25:PRESIDENT Clinton's initiative to spend $12 billion over seven years to reduce class sizes in first through third grade will provide needed federal support to states trying for smaller classes in the primary grades. The plan, as introduced in the House, would pay for 100,000 new teachers. The investment is small, but the impact could be substantial if that money is directed, as Clinton proposes, to reducing class size to an average of 18 students.

Average class sizes in Carroll County showed little chang from last year, going down slightly at the elementary and high school levels, up slightly in middle schools.Deputy Superintendent Brian Lockard presented the report to the Board of Education on Wednesday.The average elementary class size by Sept. 30 was 24.89 students, down from last year's 25.03. However, fewer classes have 30 or more students -- 58 this year, compared with 62 last year.In middle school, academic classes averaged 28 students per class, up a bit from 27.9 last year.

An article in Friday's Howard County edition of The Sun incorrectly reported the average elementary class size in Howard County for the 1998-1999 school year. The correct figure is 24.6.The Sun regrets the error.Howard County school officials proposed last night a plan to reduce class sizes in elementary schools and to hire more teachers in other grades.Under the proposal, classes would be reduced in size to 19 students in grades 1 and 2 in 17 schools by next school year. Eight of those schools would have a high concentration of students from low-income families.

Baltimore County schools spokesman Charles Herndon told The Sun there is no empirical evidence that class size is linked to student achievement ("Smaller Balto. Co. class sizes urged," May 150). But if that's true, then why did officials limit class sizes at the lowest-performing high schools, where smaller classes were deemed important for struggling students? The answer is that they, like everyone else other than maybe Mr. Herndon, recognize the simple truth that bigger classes make it harder for students to learn.

As The Sun correctly points out ("Crowded classrooms," May 15), classroom overcrowding has developed because of decisions authorized by Baltimore County's school board, and we appreciate The Sun's investigative reporting and analysis of this problem. Unfortunately, it is unlikely the board would have ever raised this issue or brought it the public's attention. In fact, The Sun reported that "Donald Peccia, the head of human resources for county schools, said he was not aware of the number of classes with 30 or more students.

I have attended Towson High School for four years, and the change in class size this year was a dramatic shift. Your recent article made clear how cutting 200 high school teachers in the Baltimore County School System has negatively affected students and teachers ("Baltimore County high schools see class sizes grow," May 12). Thirty-two percent of classes have more than 30 students this year, a 22 percent increase in one year. This will not only make it hard for students to get individualized attention, but the classes will also become more challenging for teachers.

Baltimore County parents and legislators will ask incoming schools Superintendent Dallas Dance to consider putting more teachers in high schools, where class sizes have swelled since positions were eliminated a year ago. Maryland Sen. James Brochin, a Baltimore County Democrat, said he wants Dance to examine restoring positions at high schools, where hundreds of classes have been dropped, soon after Dance takes over July 1. He said he warned county...

Baltimore County's decision to cut nearly 200 teaching positions last year has had far-reaching consequences in high schools, where hundreds of classes have been dropped from the rolls, leaving many more students packed into classrooms. At Dulaney High School, for example, a chemistry teacher with a class of 34 said his students must take turns doing lab experiments because the stations are too small to accommodate more than three or four at a time. A journalism teacher doesn't have enough computers for each of her budding writers, so she sends part of the class to the library to do the work.

Dulaney High School parent Jean Suda came before the Baltimore County school board this winter to say the class sizes at her child's school had grown significantly this year. She had assembled some handmade charts, drilling down as far as the data she had would allow to document what had happened after the county decided to cut 196 teaching positions. The Sun decided to take her work a step further, and asked the county school system for a list of every high school class that was offered this school year and last. We wanted to see just how many classes had gotten bigger.

Armed with new statistics on class size, the Maryland State Teachers Association called yesterday for fewer students in every classroom, and as few as 15 in kindergarten through third grade.The state's first survey of classroom teachers shows that the average class size in public schools is slightly more than 27 students across all grades, said association president Karl Pence at a news conference in Annapolis. The poll was requested by the Governor's Commission on Education.Prince George's County has the largest classes, with an average of 29.3 students, and St. Mary's County the smallest, with 25 students per class.

Jim Brochin, a Democrat who has been knocking on doors in central Baltimore County for 2 1/2 years as part of an effort to unseat state Sen. Andrew P. Harris, officially announced his candidacy yesterday. Both men said they plan to run on Harris' record -- he is Baltimore County's only Republican senator and one of the most conservative members of that chamber. As such, he is often on the losing side of votes in the General Assembly. Brochin, 38, of Towson, said he believes voters will reject Harris if they know his record on key education, environmental and public health issues.

WESTMINSTER - Carroll County Public Schools Superintendent Steve Guthrie this week sent parents an email urging them to contact legislators to fight a state proposal by Gov.Martin O'Malley to shift a portion teacher pension costs to counties. In the email, Guthrie said the move could impose an addition $7 million obligation to the county. Currently, county school systems across the state negotiate contracts with teachers and pay Social Security costs, but the state pays for pension costs.

Now that the start of the new school year is looming on the not-too-distant horizon, perhaps Baltimore County Superintendent Joe A. Hairston and his staff at Greenwood can answer a few "old business" questions remaining from last year. On the issue of personnel, how many of the 196 excessed teachers actually know where they will be teaching this time next month? How many will be teaching completely within the area of their certification? Why does Baltimore County need 11 additional high-salary administrative positions, as reported by Liz Bowie in "Schools hire, but teachers are cut" (July 27)