WHEREAS, Additional resources, smaller class sizes and improved teacher training have been ranked high by Philadelphia public school parents; and
WHEREAS, The average second grade class size of 25 students last year was tied for highest in the region; and
WHEREAS, Teachers in the small-size classes spend more time on task- related interactions than do teachers in regular-size classes; and
WHEREAS, Regular-size class teachers spend more of their time on interactions that are not related to learning objectives; and
WHEREAS, The performance of our schools in Philadelphia under the No Child Left Behind Act, is unacceptable; and
WHEREAS, In certain legislative districts in Philadelphia, fifty percent of the schools are failing, as defined under the No Child Left Behind Act; and
WHEREAS, Bold and aggressive action must be taken to alleviate the failure rates of our schools; and
WHEREAS, A positive correlation between small-class sizes and learning has been empirically shown; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council hereby authorizes City Council's Committee on Education to hold hearings to investigate and determine the feasibility of imposing by Ordinance the requirement that the class sizes in grades K-3 not exceed twenty (20) students and in grades 4-12 class size shall not exceed twenty-five children (25).
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