SCHOOL FIX: MORE STUDENTS, FEWER TEACHERS

Missouri public schools will face the coming school year with more students and fewer teachers, according to a recent survey.

The Missouri State Teachers Association asked superintendents to provide information about the impact on students caused by Missouri's education funding crunch.

Of the state's 540 school districts, 315 responded to the survey, which showed that teacher-pupil ratios in the state will increase next year.

"The trend toward larger class sizes is very troubling," said Kent King, executive director of the MSTA. "For the last decade we were making progress toward reducing the student/teacher ratio. This year (1991-92) we lost 53 teachers and added 17,000 students next year looks even worse."

Administrators in the responding districts anticipate that there will be 402 fewer classroom teachers and 274 fewer support staff employed in their districts in 1992-93. At the same time, administrators expect student enrollment in the same districts to increase by 6,051.

Statewide, MSTA projects that enrollment will increase by 10,000 students and the number of classroom teachers will decrease by 734.

Fall enrollment in Missouri schools has shown a steady increase from 793,793 in 1984 to 827,600 in 1991.

In 1984, there were 47,366 classroom teachers, and, by 1991, the number of teachers had increased to 52,306.

Cape Girardeau will employ 16 fewer teachers next year because of the budget situation.

"Basically, we had teachers who retired who we did not replace in order to bring the budget into a balanced state," said Superintendent Neyland Clark.

"That particularly hurts a district like ours when we have made tremendous strides toward lowering class size and teacher-pupil ratios.

"We have worked very hard to make gains and then the state comes along and cuts 8 percent from the budget. As a result, we are almost back where we were two or three years ago. It's very discouraging. At the same time, we have got outstanding educators in the classroom."

Mary Hart, CTA president for Cape Girardeau Schools, and a junior high school teacher, said, "I wonder if we will be able to achieve the excellence our community is accustomed to.

"When we have that many extra students in a classroom, they will be distracted, we will all be more uncomfortable, and we won't be able to spend the kind of time we want with the students," she said.

"As teachers, we share ourselves with the students. We will have to spread ourselves a little more thin."

Clark said the state's budget decisions directly impacted schools.

"The state is not fully funding education. It's not just a local issue or a state issue. It's a national issue."

"I have a great degree of empathy for the young people coming out of Southeast Missouri State University and other teacher preparation programs," Clark said. "When they entered the field, we were asking for teachers to lower class size. Now we're sending the message that we can't afford to hire them.

"It's not a good time to go into the marketplace."

In Jackson schools, the number of teachers will remain the same for next year, but Superintendent Wayne Maupin said enrollment is increasing.

"We would expect an increase in enrollment of 50 to 75 students," Maupin said. "I've been here 23 years and I don't recall any drop in enrollment. All indications are that the number will continue to climb.

"We are not adding any staff to handle the increase in enrollment," he said. "We are not in a position financially to do that."

He said state reviews of the district have indicated a need for additional classroom teachers, an elementary librarian and additional administrators and guidance personnel.

"These are needed new positions, needs that have been there for some years, but will not be met," Maupin said.

The net result is higher class sizes. Maupin said the impact will be felt especially in the upper elementary grades.

"We have some classes with 30 students this year. We anticipate we will have classes with 30 students next year."

Scott City will have two fewer teachers next year, said Principal Fred Graham.

"Basically, the people who have retired, we're not replacing them," he said. "We're letting attrition take effect. We had two retire this year."

This is the second year the district has not replaced retirees, Graham said. As a result, class size is increasing.

"Scheduling is somewhat more difficult for next year," Graham said. "Class sizes have gone up and we have cut sections, all to take care of this financial problem.

"And it's definitely a problem that we are all dealing with."