Teachers Taking on More

The Illinois State Board of Education is all set to vote a proposal that would likely set forward a pathway for schools to increase classes sizes that involve Special Education students. Right now the state regulates that classes with Special Education students meet the state's 70/30 rule which says that any general education class is limited to have only 30% of the students be classified as Special Education.

The new proposal would grant local school districts the flexibility to determine their own limits for Special Education classes as well as general-education classes which include special education students.

Here's the stark reality of this decision. A Physical Education class of 45 students could have 20 Special Education students. A Chemistry class of 35 might include 17 Special Education students. Okay, you get the idea.

Here's another important caveat that is a harmful one in terms of the impact of the proposal on teachers and students. The proposal also states that there would be no state requirement that teachers get paraprofessionals or teacher aides in some Special Education classes based on size.

Like I said, this new state proposal, if enacted, likely means that teachers will be taking on a greater workload.

The vote takes place on Wednesday, January 22nd and I'll be sure to fill you in.

Dick