20-25 students per class

[Anonymous]

This is an honest question. What can we do to get class sizes down from 25-30 students per class to 20-25? I honestly don't know what would be needed to reach this goal. More teachers, yes. More schools? Do we need to raise property taxes? Is it possible to have property taxes raised with the money ear marked for schools? I know a change can't happen overnight but what does it take?

[Anonymous]

Looking back at all my class pictures from long ago we had the same amount of kids in our classes. There is no need to change but the parents need ot change and realize their kids will be ok.

[Anonymous]

Schools need to hire more teachers in order to reduce class size.

Hiring teachers is very expensive -- there's salary, retirement, benefits, training costs and so on. Even if schools aren't letting teachers go as a result of budget problemts, some districts simply aren't hiring new teachers -- they just don't have enough money to cove tehr cost -- and yet new students are enrolling. I think there's been a baby boom recently in the area -- and also maybe more parents are choosing public school over private? So more kids plus same number of teachers = larger class size.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looking back at all my class pictures from long ago we had the same amount of kids in our classes. There is no need to change but the parents need ot change and realize their kids will be ok.

To a certain extent I agree with this poster. My classes in the 70s had 30 kids in a class. I had far fewer in high school in the more specialized classes. Many kids will be fine with this. Completely fine. But there will be some who benefit from much smaller class structures. Making "all" classes small to meet this need may be fiscally unfeasible. I don't know. It's a policy decision that merits much more examination, IMO.

[Anonymous]

I have a child in third grade. His class has 28 kids. It's a large class, but they are a pretty homogenous group in terms of instructional needs, so I think it is working out OK.

I'd rather he be in such a situation, than in a class of 22, but with kids of wildly different ability levels (and have the teacher have no extra support for pull out programs, etc. for kids who need extra help or more challenge).

[Anonymous]

Those who refer to class pictures of when we were children need to consider the different demands our kids have that we didn't. I have 2 kids in ES and both are expected to learn concepts I didn't learn until I was older. I think they would definately benefit from smaller class sizes.

[Anonymous]

My concern is that class sizes would go up again next year, not down since the budget picture isn't predicted to look better next year. At least not for MCPS.

[Anonymous]

MCPS has a lot of fiscal problems for sure. I can think of a few places to cut costs -- starting with the 91% subsidy the County pays for health benefits. Most government workers get 70 - 80% paid for.

[Anonymous]

Teachers get paid less than other people with similar degrees so I wouldn't fool around with the health insurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers get paid less than other people with similar degrees so I wouldn't fool around with the health insurance.

Their salaries are comparable to others in local government, but they don't take any salary or benefits hits.

[Anonymous]

My daughter's FCPS added a K teacher this week. She went from a class with 28 to one with 20. I didn't mind the 28 too much but I do feel a bit better with 20. Now to get used to a new teacher and new "best friends" of my daughter's.

[Anonymous]

Also keep in mind many schools don't have the physical space for more classes...they are running out of room for portables without taking down playground equipment..

[Anonymous]

My child is in a class with 21kids- you would think that would be great- but the kids are at such varying levels of reading/math etc that it is more like 3 classes in one (high achievers, middle, and low achievers), that it makes for a very difficult learning environment. I would probably rather have, as one other poster mentioned a larger class where kids were at the same ability level.

[Anonymous]

OK

So let's increase class size - b/c that's a given. Then, freeze our salaries and cut COLAs. And finally, let's take away health insurance benefits.

How else would you like to slam us, PP?

Should we pay for our parking spot, too?

Anonymous wrote:MCPS has a lot of fiscal problems for sure. I can think of a few places to cut costs -- starting with the 91% subsidy the County pays for health benefits. Most government workers get 70 - 80% paid for.

[Anonymous]

We don't take any "hits" with salary? really? Where have you been lately? in a mine in Chile?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers get paid less than other people with similar degrees so I wouldn't fool around with the health insurance.

Their salaries are comparable to others in local government, but they don't take any salary or benefits hits.