Bill to loosen Florida’s class size cap advances

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ A once-controversial proposal to loosen Florida's class size caps has unanimously cleared a Senate committee without debate.

The Education Pre-kindergarten-12 Committee on Thursday approved a bill (SB 1466) that would allow schools to exceed the limits by three to five students per class to accommodate those who enroll after an annual count is taken each October.

Sen. David Simmons, a Maitland Republican, filed the bill. As a representative Simmons sponsored a similar bill that unanimously passed the House in 2008.

The Senate then refused to consider it, insisting the limits could be changed only by a state constitutional amendment. The Legislature put an amendment on the ballot last year, but voters rejected it.