“We’re going to have to make cuts and we’re going to have to make tough choices”

Fannin County class sizes may soon increase. The board of education approved an increase in class size this week during its regular meeting. This is the second class increase the district has made this year. In April, the board approved to increase all class sizes from one to three, with the exception of gifted classes, which were approved to increase from one to seven. These were waivers to previous state requirements. Previously, the class size limit for kindergarten was 20; grades one to three, 23; grades four and five, 23, and grades nine through twelve, 32. The increase passed this week allowed one additional student to classes. This, though, is added to the one to three increase passed in April. During the September 13th meeting, Associate Superintendent Cynthia Painter elaborated on the increase.

“We talked to the principals about how they (the increases) would affect instruction,”

she said,

“and they believe one more student is workable and that we’re not hurting instruction.”

She went on to say that the increases are necessary because of fiscal issues.

“We don’t anticipate having to ask to increase it anymore for the remainder of the year, at this time,”

she said.

Superintendent Mark Henson lamented the move, saying he believes class-size and instructional time spent on task important.

“We are receiving for the FY13 school year a $2.1 million austerity reduction in our QBE funding. It looks as if our non-categorical funds can be cut up to 10 percent,”

he said. Painting a broader picture of the district’s financial situation, he added that the affects of the national fiscal cliff of federal funding to the system are still unknown. He also said health care cost have increased tremendously. Additionally, the district is spending $1.7 million out of its reserves fund.

“We’re going to have to make cuts and we’re going to have to make tough choices,”

Henson said. He added that unless funding improves, the system will have to continue to look for ways to trim costs. As such, he said the school system will be unable to provide the services it has previously provided.

“It pains me to say this,”

he said,

“And I don’t want to make this recommendation, but we have to for the overall good of the school system.”

Henson then made the recommendation to the board to pass the increase.

Chairwoman Sandra Mercier said the board felt the same way. Mercier motioned to pass the increase. The board voted unanimously.