Testimony of Lori Goldberg Cohen Parent of Kindergartner and 2nd grader Public Hearing on the BOE's Operating Budget FY 2000

January 13, l999

Mr. President and Members of the Board,

Money. 1 billion dollars. That sounds like a lot of money. It is a lot of money. But it is not enough money to reduce class size countywide to educate our students adequately. At this point, I know I don't have to convince you how important small classes are to a child's education. It has been well documented and I know this Board is well aware of the studies. What I do need to convince you of is how crucial it is to act now to ensure that this County appropriates enough funds to fulfill the mission of reducing class size for all the students in this County.

Yes, I am well aware of the progress we are making in reducing class size in the 1st and 2nd grades, and in 7th grade math classes. I applaud the Board's efforts to accelerate the Reading Initiative Program. Yet the data clearly documents that the problem of oversized classes is prevalent throughout the County in all grades. In a memo from Dr. Vance dated November 16th, 1998 it was documented that there are 902 classes this year that are above the county guidelines. 902 classes. That means that 27,574 children in this County are in oversized classes. Over 27,000 children. This is appalling. We can not allow nor afford for this problem of oversized classes to continue in Montgomery County.

During the November elections, all those running for public office stated emphatically that reducing class size was a priority for the County and the State. Now it is January. Budgets are now being developed and debated throughout the area. No one seems to know what to do with the surpluses. The word tax cuts seems to be on the tip of every politician's tongue. What happened to reducing class size? Where are the elected officials who promised their constituencies that improving the quality of education was a top priority?

I find this quite disturbing. Especially when almost daily I read an article in the Washington Post, that Montgomery County has a surplus of approximately $10 million and the State of Maryland has a surplus estimated at $250 million. Why then can't we use some of this surplus to invest in the County's future by assuring that our children have proper student/teacher ratios?

Yes, I understand the complexities of the budget process. However, until the Board, the Council and the County Executive work together and take a strong leadership role in this matter of reducing class size in this County, it will not happen. The County Council will need a majority of 7 in order to approve a budget over the Spending Affordability Guidelines. I am here this evening to demand that this Board make every effort to keep the promises made during the election and to devise a budget that would truly have an impact on reducing class size. Adding 28.5 classroom teacher positions at a cost of $1.1 million is not enough. That will not solve the problem. Be brave. Take a stand. There is a County surplus of $10 million dollars. The Board must request for surplus funds to be appropriated now to reduce class size. Our children can not wait.

My daughter is in the second grade. She is in a class of 27. She loves school and has a fabulous teacher. However, the demands of second graders who are still learning how to read, write and calculate math are tremendous. It is nothing short of a miracle that all of these children's needs are met, especially since several of the students in her class are from foreign countries with very little command of the English language. These children, as well as all the others, are in great need of the teacher's attention. It is these young learners that I worry about. Without a strong foundation in reading, writing and math in the early grades, it's much more likely they will need more remediation in the upper grades. I don't want my children or anyone else's children missing the opportunities that a good public education can and must provide.

We need more money allocated to reduce class size now. I assure you that just as I stand in front of you this evening requesting that you increase the budget to adequately reduce class size in this County for all children, I will also lobby the Council and the County Executive. For the sake of our children this community must work together and demand that the County Executive and the County Council increase the Spending Affordability Guidelines to a level that will dramatically reduce class size in the year 2000.

Thank you for your time.

cc: Mr. Isiah Leggett

Mr. Douglas Duncan