School Board Approves Plan to Comply with Class Size Amendment

BRADENTON – The Manatee County School Board approved the Superintendent’s recommendation to comply with the class size amendment for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Last year they opted not to comply by hiring more teachers, but instead took the penalty.

Class size reduction requires the implementation of non- conventional strategies. One of the suggested approaches was to allow educators to teach multiple grades at one time.

”I have been on both sides. One time my kids did very well, another time the class struggled but I know that it can work,“ said board member Julie Aranibar.

Last year, the Department’s initial calculation resulted in a penalty of $1,117,699.00.  The District filed an appeal of the penalty which resulted in a reduction of the penalty by $859,905.00 to $257,794.00

The state requires that each district that has not complied with the class size maximums must submit to the Commissioner, by February 15, a plan certified by the district school board that describes the specific actions the district will take in order to fully comply with the class size maximums by October of the following school year.  The board approved the plan Monday night. The filing of this plan will further reduce the district’s penalty to $64,449.00.