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March 8, 2006

Dear Representative Johnson,

I'm writing to thank you for supporting current legislation to reduce class sizes in St. Paul and Minnesota as proposed by the DFL. As you know from your visit to Battle Creek Environmental Magnet Elementary school, class sizes are creeping up across St. Paul.

At our school, class sizes have risen from an already high average of 24 students to an average of 28 students per class in the last year. The increase in students is not due to an increasing population of elementary students. Rather, it is due to meeting the changing demands of educating students in St. Paul and meeting the state and federal education mandates.

In order to insure a quality education for all students and meet the testing requirements put upon our schools, Battle Creek hired more qualified staff. We currently have six ELL teachers, three reading coaches, and sixteen staff members to meet the needs of our special education students. These staff members are in addition to twenty-one Kindergarten through Sixth grade teachers and seven specialists as well as teaching assistants. Because school financing is based on a per pupil formula, one way for our school to afford all of these staff is to increase the number of students in the school. I applaud a per pupil supplementary incentive for smaller class sizes. However, I urge you to ensure that the supplemental incentive will indeed be enough funding to support smaller classes.

Some may say, "If classes are too large, then change schools". Unfortunately, too many of the public schools in St. Paul that offer quality education have the same large class-size situation. Even some affordable private schools have allowed their class sizes to increase substantially to make ends meet. I know because I have investigated the possibilities.

The American Education Research Association reports that studies of smaller class sizes (13-17 students compared to 22-26 students) led to statistically significant improvements in reading and mathematics. It also reported that while small classes benefit all kinds of students, research has shown that the greatest benefit may be for minority students, shrinking the achievement gap, encouraging fewer students to drop out and more students to take the college entrance exams. Because Minnesota reportedly has the widest achievement gap in the nation, reduced class-size legislation truly promises student improvement and a sound economic future for all.

I worry most, that as the population of students entering Kindergarten will steadily decrease in coming years and more teachers will enter retirement, that school districts nationwide will close schools and squeeze more children into each classroom in order to meet financial requirements. Without legislation to protect our children's future, I think this is very likely to happen. I am proud of the legislators in Minnesota who seek to insure our future.

Thank you,
Marge Porter
Saint Paul