Proposal to Loosen Fla. Class-Size Limits Fails

Tallahassee, Fla.

A ballot proposal that would have loosened class size reduction requirements failed Monday, but the state's tax commission agreed to keep it alive for a possible revote next week.

The proposed state constitutional amendment would have allowed five more students in each class, but existing limits would still have had to be met on a school average basis. That could potentially save the state millions of dollars by avoiding the need to hire more teachers and build additional classrooms.

The measure would have modified an existing amendment voters approved in 2002. It calls for classes of no more than 18 students in kindergarten through third grade, 22 in fourth through eighth grade and 25 in high school, effective in...