<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0Uc4BH_0lo5dbge00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0Uc4BH_0lo5dbge00" width="1320" height="743" ></figure>PORTLAND, Ore. — Teachers at Portland Public Schools are fighting for smaller class sizes during ongoing bargaining sessions with the district for new contracts.“When we have a smaller class size, as an educator, you're able to give more personalized instruction for each student,” said Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers.Bonilla used to teach fourth grade, where she learned that smaller class sizes are critical for individual feedback.Data from Portland Public Schools shows that in the 2018-2019 school year, English proficiency from students in grades three through 12 was at 58%.In the 2021-2022 school year, it dropped to 55%.The data for math proficiency also dropped during those years, from 46% to 44%.Bonilla acknowledges the pandemic affected learning outcomes across the nation, but she says more teachers are needed to improve those numbers.“In order to increase those reading and math scores, we really need the time to give students feedback, to see what they're doing, collect the data, try something new, see if it works, and start the cycle again,” she said. “When you have 35 students in a classroom, that diminishes your ability to do that consistently and as often as we need to.”About 4,300 teachers and substitutes are in the union, making up about 94% of all the district’s educators.Bonilla says the state Legislature is pushing for a state school budget of $9.9 billion but current staffing levels cost $10.3 billion.She says at Portland Public Schools, there are between four to nine people between the superintendent and principal in each school’s administration. She thinks hiring more teachers should be a priority.“We are really at a breaking point,” she said. “And this contract is forcing the district to really say, what is their priority? Because a budget is a moral document. It says, what do we really care about? That's what we're going to put money behind.”The last time teachers had a new contract was in 2020.The union and the school district must come to an agreement on a new contract by the end of June.After that point, the union is allowed to strike.Portland Public Schools did not return our request for comment.</div></body>

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Portland teachers want smaller class sizes in new contract

PORTLAND, Ore. — Teachers at Portland Public Schools are fighting for smaller class sizes during ongoing bargaining sessions with the district for new contracts. “When we have a smaller class size, as an educator, you're able to give more personalized instruction for each student,” said Angela Bonilla, president of the Portland Association of Teachers.