Class-size initiative views: for

Here is the summary for statewide Initiative 1351 as it appears in the Voters’ Pamphlet:

This measure would direct the Legislature to allocate funds to reduce class sizes and increase staffing support for students in all K-12 grades, with additional class-size reductions and staffing increases in high-poverty schools.

The state Office of Financial Management estimates that I-1351 would cost $4.7 billion through 2019, although no funding mechanism has been identified. For details on the initiative, including explanatory statements, financial impact, and arguments for and against, the Voters’ Pamphlet can be found at http://tinyurl.com/muxu5gj

The Columbian’s recommendation on I-1351 can be found at http://tinyurl.com/kn7mnn4

See the opposing view by Liv Finne, the education director for Washington Policy Center

Are classrooms in our state too crowded? Yes, beyond a doubt. Washington ranks a shameful 47th out of 50 states for class sizes. Certainly our kids deserve better than that, especially in a region that prides itself on innovation and leadership in the information economy. By approving I-1351 this fall, we can reduce class sizes in grades K-12 and bring Washington up to par with the rest of the nation.

I support I-1351 because I know it will improve education for children across the state. In my role as the state Superintendent of Schools, I make a point to schedule time away from the politics of Olympia to get in classrooms where real kids are learning. These visits help remind me about what’s most important — our students — and they constantly reinforce what every parent and school child knows: smaller classes make a difference.

Why? Simply put, smaller class sizes allow kids to receive the individual attention they need from their teacher, attention that builds the personal bonds and connections that foster self — so necessary for effective learning. This is true for students at every grade level — from beginning readers to high school kids in career and technical courses.

High expectations

Have you been in a school lately? We expect a lot from our students, and rightly so. Rigorous course work helps prepare our kids for success in the high-tech economy. High school math and science are hard, and in many cases students taking them receive full college credit. It’s inspiring to see kids challenged and achieving more than ever before. But this is only possible when teachers understand their students as individual people, when they know their interests and how they see the world, and then make connections that help students understand difficult material.

When voters mark their ballots in November, they’ll answer this question: “Should students, of all ages, from all backgrounds, from all parts of the state, have the opportunity to learn and succeed in smaller classes?”

The answer is an unequivocal yes. I-1351 will reduce average class sizes for K-3 to 17 students, and to 25 for all other grades. Class sizes would be lower for schools in high-poverty communities, where the need is often the greatest, which is why high-poverty schools will be the first to benefit from smaller class sizes. The initiative will be phased in to all schools over four years, providing time to budget and plan for its implementation.

Great teachers have two things in common. The first is their ability to build strong personal connections with each student they serve. The second is the team of skilled and caring adults who stand behind them, strengthening the support systems that foster learning. I-1351 adds librarians, counselors, nurses, teaching assistants, family engagement coordinators, and student safety staff and others who are vital to quality schools. With proper staffing levels in place, principals are freed to be the instructional leaders .

Don’t believe those who say we can’t afford smaller classes. Economists have detailed the benefits, concluding that lower class sizes result in higher graduation rates and more students going to college. This, in turn, results in higher earnings, less reliance on welfare and lower rates of incarceration. Washington can do this. In fact, we can’t afford not to.

Today, the million children in Washington’s schools are our kids. Tomorrow they will be our doctors, scientists, firefighters, artists, entrepreneurs, teachers and technicians. By reducing class sizes for them now, we ensure better futures for them and our communities.

Please join me in voting YES on I-1351.

Randy Dorn is the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction.