In 1977 a Basic Education Act was passed in Washington State, dictating a ratio of 20 students for one “funded” teacher.

Many of us have noticed our schools’ funding dropping and teachers being laid off. At the same time, our class sizes have gotten larger over the past few years, causing some of our class sizes to increase to more than 30 students.

In 1987, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled the state’s first priority was funding “basic education.” If this is true, what has happened to the money now? What happened to the money to keep our teachers on board and make sure our students are learning in the best environments?

This has not only caused teachers to lose their jobs but has affected our students as well.

“The class sizes growing are causing dramatic effects on the students.” Jennifer Mullen said. “This reduces the amount of time that a teacher can realistically spend time with each of their students to help them, which in the end will make it easier for the public school students to fall through the cracks and be forgotten.”

Will this ultimately change the No Child Left Behind Act?

No Child Left Behind Act was made to test each student with the Basic Knowledge we should be learning in school. With funding for our schools dropping; teachers losing their job causing class sizes to get larger the test scores are decreasing as well. It’s a lot harder for a student to pay attention in a class of 30 then a class of 20.

“We keep paying more on taxes,” Garrick Horton commented “So where is all the tax money that is supposed to be given to the schools going?”

Many of the students have a strong opinion about what is going on in Kingston High School and many of the other surrounding schools. Some students don’t even know what is going on in the school. They don’t know that we will most likely lose a few more teachers this year once again.

The estimated value for each student is about $5,243.

Melissa Castle is a senior at Kingston High School.