New proposed class sizes for elementary schools

[Anonymous]

During today's BOE session happening now they are discussing staffing guidelines. The documents being discussed today and posted on the BOE agenda reflect different class sizes than what is listed in the proposed operating budget. What I immediately notice is they have reduced class sizes for high FARMS schools.

Here is the link to the document posted today: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DQWKN55278D8/$file/DRAFT%20FY2027-2031%20MCPS%20Staffing%20Stds%20Implement%20Plan%20260202.pdf

Here is the recommended operating budget: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/budget/fy2027/2027operatingbudget.pdf (see page 349)

[Anonymous]

Watch the session now here: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/meetings/live/

[Anonymous]

So did the BOE members ask about this change and any associated cost increases from the recommended operating budget?!?

[Anonymous]

So it sounds like no schools will have an increase in class sizes, and some will have a decrease? Is that right 94 are there still winners and losers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it sounds like no schools will have an increase in class sizes, and some will have a decrease? Is that right 94 are there still winners and losers?

No idea because we have no idea how much this will cost or if MCPS will get the funding it needs to do it

[Anonymous]

We also have no idea which class size guidelines the BOE will approve. The ones in the budget which increase K-2 class sizes for low income schools or the ones listed in the documents they posted on BoardDocs this morning?

[Anonymous]

Here's the session for those who want to watch themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So it sounds like no schools will have an increase in class sizes, and some will have a decrease? Is that right 94 are there still winners and losers?

2nd grade in focus & Title 1 schools that are below rather than above 75% FARMS will go from 19 students per teacher to 20 students per teacher under the revised class sizes. The rest are all the same or (in 75%+ FARMS schools in K & 1st) one student smaller. (Basically focus schools and Title 1 are currently 1:19 for K-2... today's version is 1:18 for K-1 and 1:19 in 2nd in 75%+ FARMS, 1:19 in K-1 and 1:20 in 2nd in 35-74% FARMS.)

So WAY better than the original version. Hopefully this one is actually real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So it sounds like no schools will have an increase in class sizes, and some will have a decrease? Is that right 94 are there still winners and losers?

2nd grade in focus & Title 1 schools that are below rather than above 75% FARMS will go from 19 students per teacher to 20 students per teacher under the revised class sizes. The rest are all the same or (in 75%+ FARMS schools in K & 1st) one student smaller. (Basically focus schools and Title 1 are currently 1:19 for K-2... today's version is 1:18 for K-1 and 1:19 in 2nd in 75%+ FARMS, 1:19 in K-1 and 1:20 in 2nd in 35-74% FARMS.)

So WAY better than the original version. Hopefully this one is actually real.

Unfortunately the budget is based on the original version so unless they add a bunch of money to the budget and convince the Council to fund it I think today's session was about a fantasy scenario. Not real.