Re: Moscow School District budget cuts

["Sue Hovey" <suehovey@moscow.com>]

John, you must not have read my message very carefully.  I clearly stated it
was NOT a legislative mandate.  Why don't you go back and reread what I
wrote before you hop into the "typically wrong" mode again.


----- Original Message -----
From: John and Laurie Danahy <JDANAHY@turbonet.com>
To: Sue Hovey <suehovey@moscow.com>; <scooke@uidaho.edu>
Cc: Vision2020 Listserver (E-mail) <vision2020@moscow.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 29, 1999 7:24 AM
Subject: Re: Moscow School District budget cuts


> Sue;
>      Your assumption that the state passed 20 students per class is
neither
> a mandate or goal is, unfortunately, typically wrong.  20 students per
class
> is an average, not specific to grade level, and it is the level that is
> funded.  We can all play with words, but if 20 per is funded, then it is a
> mandate and a goal.  If you want smaller class sizes in K-3 then get the
> state to fund smaller class sizes.
> John
> John and Laurie Danahy
> jdanahy@turbonet.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sue Hovey <suehovey@moscow.com>
> To: scooke@uidaho.edu <scooke@uidaho.edu>; jdanahy@turbonet.com
> <jdanahy@turbonet.com>
> Cc: Vision2020 Listserver (E-mail) <vision2020@moscow.com>
> Date: Thursday, April 29, 1999 12:44 AM
> Subject: Re: Moscow School District budget cuts
>
>
> >Steve, this was the STAR Program in Tennessee.  It was well documented
and
> >the data revealed that children in grades 1 - 3 (the only ones the study
> >used) significantly benefit from classes of under 15 or fewer.  There
were
> >several configerations--more students and 2 teachers, more students and a
> >teacher and an aide, etc.  The results were dramatic (particularly with
> >literacy) and the Tennessee effort continues because of that study which
> was
> >done a decade ago or more.  Because STAR was so successful several other
> >states took serious steps to ensure not more than 15 students in grades
K-3
> >on a statewide basis.  Idaho legislation passed to set a level of 20 per
> >primary class, but that was never a mandate and it is no longer even a
> >legislative goal.  Indiana was one which did set a specific mandate and
I
> >believe that program also continues.
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Steve Cooke <scooke@uidaho.edu>
> >To: <jdanahy@turbonet.com>
> >Cc: Vision2020 Listserver (E-mail) <vision2020@moscow.com>
> >Sent: Monday, April 26, 1999 11:49 AM
> >Subject: RE: Moscow School District budget cuts
> >
> >
> >> John,
> >>  In the 20 April issue of the New York Times business section, there is
a
> >> story on a Princeton economist who has shown that small class size in
the
> >> first four grades makes a significant difference in students
performance
> >> for the rest of their life. The analysis is based on a program in
> >Tennessee
> >> to reduce class sizes.
> >>  This study suggests that teacher cuts at the higher grades are better
> >than
> >> ones at the lower levels. I say this as a parent with sons in the 5th
and
> >> 12th grade next year.
> >> Steve Cooke
> >>
> >>
> >
>