Thousands of Florida kids in classes without teachers

More than 7,000 students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools are in core-subject classes without teachers this year. The students are expected to learn on their own with computers, the New York Times reports.

Florida limited class sizes in 2002 (and voters upheld the law in a referendum in November), but local officials say they can't afford enough teachers to guarantee students human instruction. In the "virtual learning labs," a facilitator is there to deal with any technical problems that may arise with the computers -- but otherwise, kids are on their own.

One student in an Advanced Placement economics class told the Times that many of the students are unmotivated without a teacher there.

"None of them want to be there," 15-year-old Alix Braun said, "and for virtual education you have to be really self-motivated. This was not something they chose to do, and it's a really bad situation to be put in because it is not your choice."

Six area middle schools are also using the virtual learning labs.

Several studies have shown that though virtual learning may seem most promising as a way to deliver education to at-risk students who might not otherwise have access to it, the technique is most effective with highly motivated students. Dropout rates are higher with virtual learning than with in-person classes.

Districts around the country are increasing class sizes in response to tighter budgets, NPR reports.

(2005 photo of a student in Kirkland, Wash., with a school-provided laptop: AP)