Future of O.C. Smaller-Class Push in Doubt

As class-size-reduction programs sink in statewide, school officials scanning their suddenly bloated budgets and student enrollment rosters are looking ahead and questioning whether they can afford to maintain smaller classes.

With the help of state funding, all but one of Orange County’s 24 school districts have been able to reduce class sizes this year in the first grade to a maximum of 20 pupils per teacher. The program, begun in July by Gov. Pete Wilson, aims to improve reading and math scores statewide.

But as these schools seek to reduce class sizes in other grade levels next year, administrators are finding that they may have to pull money from other programs in order to meet the goal.

Under the most desperate circumstances, district officials countywide say they may shift elementary students to high schools, where there are empty rooms. School systems that have resisted turning to year-round schooling say such schedules may be the only answer. Others may need to subdivide more classrooms, as many did this year to ensure a student-teacher ratio of 20 to 1.

“Every district will be concerned about this over the next several years,” said Mike Kilbourn, the legislative liaison for the county Department of Education. “If we plan to keep the 20-to-1 program a priority, and the state doesn’t offer more money, there might be sacrifices to other programs to keep this going.”

Already, districts have been dipping into budget reserves and pumping most of their available funds into hiring new teachers and building extra classrooms to qualify for the $771-million state program, in which schools that limit their class sizes in kindergarten through third grade will receive $650 per pupil from the state after February.

An additional $200 million also was offered this year to help schools provide more classrooms. That money will not be offered next year, when schools will still be reconfiguring space to sustain the program.

This year, some schools pushing for reduction plans have pared activities and borrowed space normally used for such programs as special education.

Sonora Elementary in Costa Mesa, for instance, has had to eliminate school plays, musical performances and about half of its events this year because its auditorium has been converted into classroom space.

“This takes away a major part of our educational programs,” Sonora Principal Steve Pavich said.

Sonora’s tight circumstance may be more extreme than those of most county schools, but all administrators agree that trimming class sizes has been an exhausting challenge made tougher by the need in some cases to build or buy additional classroom space.

This year’s total state funding is expected to cover about two-thirds of schools’ costs for shrinking class sizes, according to the state Department of Education.

But school officials worry that they will have to spend more in the following years to meet teacher pay raises that increase by about 5% annually. They will also have to devote money to cover the costs of growing student enrollment. Under pressure from parents and the states, districts are reluctant to allow class sizes in the lower grades to swell beyond 30 pupils, as they have in previous years.

“While it’s OK this year, we anticipate they won’t even cover anything close to half next year,” said Garden Grove Unified School District’s business manager, Arthur Becker.

State officials said the funds allocated this year for the program were intended merely as start-up money to get schools to rethink teaching methods and make use of all their facilities.

“There are school districts that have excess room, and some aren’t using their space to the maximum,” said Sue Pendleton, an advisor on class-size reduction with the state Department of Education.

State officials added that the Legislature intends to continue funding this program as long as there is money in the state budget, but that it is unclear the funding it will be at this year’s levels.

However long the funding may last, the state effort marks an unprecedented emphasis on primary grade teaching. Elementary schools now can gain almost as much state money as high schools do.

Generally, the state pays $3,600 per elementary student. The extra $650 for smaller class sizes in kindergartner through third grade will mean those students will receive close to the estimated $4,400 paid by the state for each high school student.

But district administrators respond that the money received for reducing class sizes is barely enough for schools to survive during the beginning years of establishing a long-term program.

“Everyone understands that the state wasn’t talking about fully funding this program,” said Garden Grove Unified’s Becker. “But at districts like ours, where growth and limited facilities are major issues, the ongoing costs for more teachers and space create tremendous problems.”

Newport-Mesa Unified has reduced class sizes in first and second grades, costing the district $1.1 million this year. But that figure will balloon to $1.9 million next year because of an expected increase in the number of first- and second-grade students. The reduction program would deplete the district’s $2.9-million budget reserve by one-third, said Mike Fine, the district’s chief financial officer.

“I think at least one-third of the districts who instituted the class-size reduction won’t be able to sustain it for more than three years,” Fine said.

Educators say the class-size reductions also could force districts into debt because of the volatile rates of student enrollment. In recent years, the county’s student population has soared at unpredictable rates because of rapid development and an upswing in immigration, they said.

At Saddleback Valley Unified, one of few districts that has room for growth, administrators nevertheless foresee financial risks in the education program.

“There’s no doubt there is going to be an encroachment on the rest of the district funds,” said Saddleback Valley Supt. Peter Hartman, adding that this year’s class-size program gobbled up 15% of the district’s $140-million operating budget.

Despite the fear of running a deficit, these school districts plan to keep smaller class sizes.

“It’s too good an opportunity to pass up,” said Santa Ana Unified Deputy Supt. Joe Tafoya. “The [state] money is there and parents are demanding that we make it work.”

To make up for the expected budget shortfalls, several district officials said they are researching various long-term solutions.

Overcrowded Santa Ana Unified will move its adult education classes out of Grant Preschool/Adult School in order to make space for kindergartners and first-graders from nearby elementary schools. Officials said they must find another location for the 48 adult school students.

Santa Ana officials also are looking into building “instant schools”--clusters of portable classrooms on property near their elementary schools.

Newport-Mesa Unified may have to reopen closed campuses, a costly measure that means a loss of revenue from current tenants and would require about $1 million worth of building renovations.

Garden Grove Unified and a few other districts may have to start running year-round schools to accommodate the student growth.

“Let’s not kids ourselves, education is expensive,” Becker said. “When the state has pumped in about $1 billion to improve students’ reading and math skills, we, at least in Garden Grove, certainly are going to do everything possible to make the best use of those funds.

“There are financial problems we have to address,” he added. “And we’re going to do everything we can to make sure we won’t be in a situation where this will backfire.”

Also contributing to this report was Times correspondent Hope Hamashige.