PFAW: Gov. Bush's Education Appointment Casts Doubt on His Promise to Follow Through on Class-Size Initiative

11/27/2002

From: Nathan Richter or Tracy Duckett, 202-467-4999, both of People for the American Way Web site: http://www.pfaw.org

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 -- After having campaigned fiercely against Florida's class-size reduction initiative, Governor Jeb Bush has sounded a more conciliatory tone in recent days toward the voter-approved Amendment 9. But according to People For the American Way, the governor's appointee to serve as education policy transition leader casts fresh doubts on Bush's willingness to abide by voters' will and properly implement Amendment 9. The appointee, Jeanne Allen, is a leading school voucher supporter and her Center for Education Reform (CER) has vocally criticized what it calls "the myth of smaller classes."

In 1993, Allen founded CER, a Washington, D.C.-based group that supports private-school vouchers. Allen serves as CER's president, and she formerly worked for the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation. In recent years, Allen's organization has made several statements about class-size reduction that are hostile, false or misleading. These CER statements include:

-- "...very few (studies) have shown that fewer students in class leads to greater achievement." (Parent Power, CER, May 1999, Vol. 1, Issue 2)

False. In fact, research by the U.S. Department of Education, Economic Policy Institute, RAND, Educational Testing Service, Vital Search, North Carolina Education Research Council, and many others have found that student learning improves in smaller classes.

-- "The studies that suggest smaller classes help kids show the benefits evaporating after the second grade." (Parent Power, CER, May 1999, Vol. 1, Issue 2)

False. Tennessee's Project STAR researchers found that those who were in smaller K-3 classes continued to outperform their peers in larger classes in math, reading and science through eighth grade. Even in high school, students who had been in smaller K-3 classes were less likely to be retained at the same grade level and were more likely to graduate and earn higher grade-point averages.

Other CER statements on class size are also troubling. In October, CER released a voter's guide on education issues that misled the public about the impact of Amendment 9, stating that candidate Bill McBride supported "a class size reduction initiative curtailing the state's testing program." Amendment 9 does not change the state's K-12 testing policies. Additionally, a May 2002 analysis by CER misled readers about the size of the landmark Tennessee STAR study on class size, claiming that "(o)ver 6,000 students were involved" in the study, which actually monitored the progress of 11,600 students.

Yet class-size reduction isn't the only issue on which Allen's views may obstruct needed changes. Although Florida's per-capita spending on education ranks 50th in the nation, Allen is unlikely to urge state officials to devote greater resources to public schools. An article in the October 2002 issue of CER's Parent Power urges voters to largely disregard funding issues, calling money a "sub-issue."

Of course, Allen is virtually sure to advise state officials to expand funding for private-school vouchers-even though a circuit court judge earlier this year struck down Florida's so-called A(plus) voucher program. While Allen's CER has frequently attacked class-size reduction, an April 2000 report co-published by CER, Competing to Win, praised the A(plus) voucher program because it "has triggered school reform," including class-size reduction. Competing to Win explained how various Florida school districts responded when their schools received an 'F' grade. "Most districts, including Broward (County), are reducing class size in the early grades," the report noted.

In the meantime, parents, educators and other Floridians will be watching Gov. Bush closely to see whether he abides by the will of the voters or, instead, opts for the "devious plans" that he disclosed in October to thwart Amendment 9 from taking effect.