Haslam Says Weigh Class Size Versus Teacher Pay
Gov. Bill Haslam is urging cash-strapped local school districts to prioritize spending on top teachers over limiting classroom sizes.
Speaking at a Girls State event at Lipscomb University in Nashville on Tuesday, the governor acknowledged that larger classrooms mean less personalized attention for every student.
But Haslam argued that excellent teachers in larger classrooms are preferable to mediocre teachers in smaller classrooms.
Haslam said his education agenda has focused on improving teacher performance, including a new law that makes it more difficult for teachers to earn and keep tenure job protections.
A separate bill curbing teachers’ collective bargaining rights did away with unions’ ability to block merit pay programs.
