Published September 21, 2005 in East Valley Opinions of the Arizona Republic as “Time to re-do the math on allocating educational resources.”
We have a problem at our elementary school. Classes are too small.
Fifth grade classes averaging 20 students absorb too many resources. The Tempe Elementary School District is correcting their miscalculation. My son’s teacher will likely be reassigned, and classes disrupted throughout the school with class sizes increasing next week.
The East Valley Republican legislative delegation has made vouchers and private school tax credits for the 4 percent of students who attend private, often religious, institutions a top legislative priority. My children are learning that being among the 94 percent of students in public education, including the 8 percent in charter schools, means your education isn’t as important (roughly 2 percent home school). Read the rest of this entry »