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A Florida teachers union is trying to block a ballot initiative that aims to loosen class size requirements. The state legislature put the amendment on the ballot saying the last phase of class size is too restrictive, but as Whitney Ray tells us, the Florida Education Association is asking a judge to kick it off the ballot saying the issue is funding and the ballot language doesn’t mention dollars.

There’s only one open seat in Chemistry at Leon High School in Tallahassee. Strict class size requirements written into the state constitution cap high school classes at 25 students… so if Principle Rocky Hanna gets two new students mid-year who need Chemistry, he has to tell one to take a hike.

“They have to take honors level of they have to do it online, those are the options,” said Hanna.

Last year schools could meet class size requirements based on averages. Now they must meet the requirements individually. The strictest phase comes on top of two straight years of budget cuts.

“They cut base student allocation and other categoricals. I’ve lost 10 teaching units over the last five years. I stood a much better chance of making it then than I do now,” said Hanna.

And with no money to hire new teachers… administrators are having to get creative. And this is what it’s come to. More than 200 students at Leon High School are taking courses online because there’s no room in the classes the want.

There is a legislative ballot initiative to ease class size restrictions, but the Florida Education Association says the proposed amendment is really about money… not helping schools.

“The voter if they read the ballot summery, If they read the entire amendment are not going to understand, that what this means is more kids in the classroom and less money going to our classes,” said Mark Pudlow, a spokesman for FEA.

While many administrators agree with the teachers union, they’re supporting the legislatures fix… because they expect more budget cuts next year. The judge hearing FEA’s cases will make a ruling by the end of the week.