Bigger class sizes are taking toll, teachers say

Some Big Hollow Elementary District 38 school teachers say current class sizes are too large and have severely hurt student learning.

They also believe that class sizes -- reported to be the largest in Lake County -- will only get larger if more teachers are not hired at the cash-starved district.

The teachers were responding to a survey compiled and tabulated by parents in the district. The survey is intended to show the community how larger class sizes affect learning. It comes as district officials are planning to ask voters for a tax rate increase that would pay to hire more teachers and reinstate programs that have already been cut.

"We did it to get the input of the teachers on the current situation of the schools," said survey creator Angela Bujan. "I think after the initial cuts were made at the district this year, some people didn't know the impact teachers would have with shouldering the load. This survey gives the community a chance to understand the situation here."

Bujan said the survey was sent to every teacher at Big Hollow, and 35 percent of the teachers answered.

Bujan, who admitted she is in favor of the referendum request, said the survey was not done to help or hinder referendum efforts.

Big Hollow has the largest class sizes in Lake County at an average of about 29 students per class.

According to the survey, 100 percent of the responding teachers believe current class sizes have had some sort of adverse impact on student learning, while 92 percent of the teachers who answered the poll said the elimination of specials programs -- like the gifted program -- have had a severe impact on teaching conditions.

The survey also found that teachers are spending between $25 and $100 of their own money monthly on classroom materials to help students learn.

Board Vice President Jan Carsella said the survey does seem to support the referendum request but said parents took the initiative to perform the survey on their own. The board had no input on the survey, she said.

"I don't think we were surprised by some of the results because teachers are going to have a harder time with larger class sizes," she said.

She added that the financial decisions made by the board over the past months have been difficult.

"We aren't happy that teachers have to work under these conditions," she said. "And we are not trying to make anyone unhappy or create tough working conditions. But we need to be fiscally responsible."

Big Hollow voters will decide Feb. 5 whether the district should take out a $10 million working cash loan and raise tax rates by 54 cents to offset growing debt.

If the measure is approved, the owner of a $100,000 home would pay an extra $180 annually in taxes.

Officials said if the request is approved, cut programs would be reinstated and class sizes would decrease. However, if the request isn't approved, class sizes would continue to increase and further cuts could be ahead.

Projections show the district could be $5.2 million in debt and facing class sizes in the 40s by 2013 if voters reject the tax-rate increase.

To offset the deficit, district officials cut art, music and computer classes in July, as well as instituted a hiring freeze.

The district has had to borrow against anticipated tax money to meet cash concerns in the previous three years. Officials expect to borrow about $3 million in 2008 for the same reason.