While the Vision 2020 plan recently endorsed by the Coweta County Board of Education calls for lowering the pupil-teacher ratio, Superintendent of Education Richard Brooks believes the costs are far too much for the system to absorb all at one time.

Vision 2020 is a plan devised by various public agencies throughout the county that outlines a blueprint for making the county a better place to work and live. The plan was recently approved by county officials and now school system leaders are looking to implement some of the goals of the plan.

The plan calls for the pupil-teacher ratio to be lowered to 15-1 in elementary schools, but Brooks doesn't believe that's possible in the short term.

"It would cost between $6-8 million to get to that ratio. That would cost probably an added two mils in property taxes," he said.

The superintendent believes the system can lower the ratio, but it will have to be done in steps. Currently, the elementary school ratio is about 23-1. Brooks believes the system can get to 20-1 within the next couple of years without a significant tax increase.

Another goal of Vision 2020 is lowering the county's drop-out rate, which is the third highest in the state. School officials rea looking at ways to lower the rate, but Brooks said the high rate is a community-wide problem.