The CACS “We Can’t Wait” campaign has reducing class size as one of its demands (article on 11/26). We thought it wold be useful to repost this article from our second newsletter issue in December 2021 about the necessity of statewide action if we want lower class sizes.

On every bargaining survey educators say that reducing class size is important to them. We know that students need more individual attention— and their parents want them to get it. Class size reduction has been shown to improve academics and social adjustment and to shrink the achievement gap.  So why do we never get there?  Why does this issue usually get dropped during bargaining? 

Simple: because it’s expensive!  Reducing classes of 32 to 24 would require 33% more teachers and 33% more classrooms—and that’s a lot of money in any district. The state funds districts at a level which requires large class sizes.  Districts will resist even small ‘targeted’ reductions that they could afford because that will cut into their funds for consultants and adminstrative salaries— but reducing class size for all just isn’t possible without more funding.  

Reducing class size from 30 to 27— a 10% reduction— is approximately as expensive as a 10% pay increase.  Bargaining teams have to bargain for what members most want. Given the current economics of teaching that makes reducing class size for all through local union contracts unlikely.  

This shows what is wrong with our current system of bargaining. The State of California, controlled by the legislature, gives money to the districts, and each local union has to fight with its district to get more of that money— while the legislature sits behind the curtain pulling the strings but feels no heat.  To get reduced class size for all (or real community schools or liveable educator salaries or anything else important) we have to put pressure on the legislature and the state government, and that means pressure from every school district and every legislative district.  

Lobbying the legisature has not worked. Several decades of CTA being one of the largest political players in the state have left us LAST in class size.  Educators must find ways to organize visible actions all across the state and be prepared to escalate those actions— or have classes of 32 forever.

David de Leeuw, OEA retired