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BOUNTIFUL -- According to former Fla. Governor Jeb Bush, who was in Salt Lake this week to discuss education issues, smaller class sizes don't necessarily mean higher student achievement.
But try telling that to teachers who struggle every day with teaching the largest classes in the nation with the least amount of money spent per student.
In 2009, Utah had 21.3 students to every teacher. Nationally, that radio was 15-to-1.
Former Gov. Mike Leavitt made headway in the mid-‘90s with reducing class sizes -- but that was a very different economy.
So where are we now?
Just three days into the school year, sixth-grade students at Bountiful's Oak Hills Elementary are hitting the books hard. Teachers Kim Martin and Wendy Pitt each have 36 students in their classes.
"When it comes to really meeting the specific needs of each individual child, the more kids in your class the harder it is," Martin said.
These teachers say they've learned how to handle classes that are double -- and, in some cases, triple -- the average size in other states, but they often end up teaching "to the norm." A few less would make a big difference.
"Just five or six (fewer) kids is amazing," Pitt said. "You can work with them, individual kids better. Differentiated instruction, help those that are on one end of the spectrum or the other."
Leavitt says the dynamics of Utah families -- larger than average with more modest incomes -- make the problem tough.
"This will always be a problem in Utah," Leavitt said.
During his time as governor he took a new approach to tackle this problem. By increasing funding to targeted grade levels, class sizes dropped by an average of three students.
But the economy was healthy then. Schools weren't having make brutal budget cuts like they are this year.
When it comes to really meeting the specific needs of each individual child, the more kids in your class the harder it is.
–Teacher Kim Martin
"The state will work on it when they have substantial revenues to do it," Leavitt said. "During periods when they have less money to be able to spend on education per student, class size seems to be the place where it manifests itself first."
In 2009, Utah had 21.3 students to every teacher. Nationally, that radio was 15-to-1.
Trying to match that ratio would cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the Utah Office of Education.
"If you figure there are 25 students per teacher, to go to 24 students per teacher will take $50 million," said Deputy State Superintendent Dr. Martell Menlove.
The Office of Education, however, says Utah teachers do a lot to make up the difference.
For example, ACT scores are above the national average. Utah is 10th in Advanced Placement class pass rates.
Some point to statistics like these as proof that schools don't need more money, they just need to spend it differently, perhaps as incentives to high-performing teachers.
But if you go to the source -- those in the crowded classrooms day after day -- you'll hear a plea for more support and more funding.
"When we had these budget cuts you think, ‘Oh, one more child per class doesn't make a difference,'" Martin said. "But it sure can make a difference to one kid."
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
