From “Cap on Class Size Passes” (3.26.06), Atlanta-Journal Constitution:

Public school pupils will have fewer classmates in English, math, science and social studies under Gov. Sonny Perdue’s “Truth in Class Size Act,” which won final approval Friday. But some of them will probably be taught by less-experienced teachers in classroom trailers.

“Yes!” Merchuria Chase Williams, president of the Georgia Association of Educators, exclaimed when she heard the Senate passed House Bill 1358 50-0. “Ah, that’s wonderful!”

Why it matters?

Under Perdue’s “truth” rules, every class must be at or below the maximums with exceptions granted only in limited cases. If one extra pupil enters a school, a principal will have to hire a new teacher, find a new room and break up other classes to form a new roster, even in the middle of the school year.

“We’re going to have kids hanging from the treetops and a teacher standing at the bottom saying, ‘Today, your lesson is … ,’” quipped Sally FitzGerald, an education policy specialist for the Georgia PTA, which backs smaller classes but thinks the bill is unrealistic. “In a real-life situation, there’s got to be some wiggle room.”

Education experts say smaller settings improve student discipline and learning. But costs in terms of teachers, trailers and taxes could be great.