This week, the State Legislature passed Governor Sonny Perdue’s “Truth in Class Size” initiative aimed at creating a more effective environment for educating our students.

The Governor’s plan reduces the number of maximum students in K-3rd grades by 2 students and the maximum number in 4th-8th grades by 4 students.

"Smaller class sizes give teachers more time for one-on-one interaction with their students and help them maintain order and discipline," Perdue said in a statement.

On several occasions over the last three years, Governor Perdue has taken the opportunity to sit down with teachers, school administrators and parents to discuss ideas to improve Georgia’s educational system and the reduction of class sizes was an action that everybody agreed was necessary. Now that Governor Perdue has strengthened Georgia’s economy, eliminated the budget deficit, and increased state revenues by $1.25 billion, we are in a position to be able to invest in this much needed initiative.

To help school districts offset the cost of adding the additional classrooms, Governor Perdue has included $546 million in new funding and low interest construction bonds in his budget proposal this year.