Exceeding class sizes

[Anonymous]

You can thank the BOE for their financial mismanagement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the point of the limit if they have to be 2 over each class. Just make the limit, the f'ing limit. And why is one class 26 vs 28 and not 27 each

They’re not limits. They’re guidelines and MCPS central office will make that clear if you raise the issue. I’m saying this as someone whose child had 29 kids in their kindergarten class. Nothing ideal about that! Sometimes team lead teachers get additional students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school told us every class had to be at least two over the cap for the grade to get an additional teacher. So for first grade, we had to get 28 across all the classes even though the limit is 26 (which makes no sense to me).

This is correct except one class has to be three over, so you’d need one class at 29 and two at 28.

Even then, it’s an uphill battle to get the additional allocation and THEN actually find and hire a qualified teacher. Sorry, OP. Ask the teacher if they are open to parent volunteers coming in to help with small groups during the instructional blocks.

Yup. Also, there may not be another available classroom if your school is overcapacity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school told us every class had to be at least two over the cap for the grade to get an additional teacher. So for first grade, we had to get 28 across all the classes even though the limit is 26 (which makes no sense to me).

This is correct except one class has to be three over, so you’d need one class at 29 and two at 28.

Even then, it’s an uphill battle to get the additional allocation and THEN actually find and hire a qualified teacher. Sorry, OP. Ask the teacher if they are open to parent volunteers coming in to help with small groups during the instructional blocks.

Yup. Also, there may not be another available classroom if your school is overcapacity.

This is true but it sounds like OP’s grade went from three classes to two, so there may be space. Ask the principal about using para’s or long-term subs to pull out kids. I think it’s better to get creative versus holding your breath for an additional teacher/classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school told us every class had to be at least two over the cap for the grade to get an additional teacher. So for first grade, we had to get 28 across all the classes even though the limit is 26 (which makes no sense to me).

+1 so the guidelines are misleading, you can actually have even bigger classes than the limits posted on the chart

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school told us every class had to be at least two over the cap for the grade to get an additional teacher. So for first grade, we had to get 28 across all the classes even though the limit is 26 (which makes no sense to me).

+1 so the guidelines are misleading, you can actually have even bigger classes than the limits posted on the chart

Because they are not limits. They are guidelines.

From the operating budget's glossary:

Maximum Class Size Guidelines—Guidelines that represent the standard to which MCPS strives in placing the number of children in one classroom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school told us every class had to be at least two over the cap for the grade to get an additional teacher. So for first grade, we had to get 28 across all the classes even though the limit is 26 (which makes no sense to me).

This is correct except one class has to be three over, so you’d need one class at 29 and two at 28.

Even then, it’s an uphill battle to get the additional allocation and THEN actually find and hire a qualified teacher. Sorry, OP. Ask the teacher if they are open to parent volunteers coming in to help with small groups during the instructional blocks.

One year, our school had a teacher hired at the last minute because they were over the cap. Her first day was the first day of school - no pre-service week. She was terribible but the only option. I would rather have larger classes with better teachers than have slightly smaller classes and have one class stuck with a terrible teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing happens. You get a large classroom and have to hope the teacher can handle it.

It is tough if you have kids with 504s/IEPs in class this big. I imagine this is a non focus/title I school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our elementary school told us every class had to be at least two over the cap for the grade to get an additional teacher. So for first grade, we had to get 28 across all the classes even though the limit is 26 (which makes no sense to me).

+1 so the guidelines are misleading, you can actually have even bigger classes than the limits posted on the chart

Because they are not limits. They are guidelines.

From the operating budget's glossary:

Maximum Class Size Guidelines—Guidelines that represent the standard to which MCPS strives in placing the number of children in one classroom

Okay fine congratulations for your precision. The point is people are saying that the huge class sizes suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing happens. You get a large classroom and have to hope the teacher can handle it.

It is tough if you have kids with 504s/IEPs in class this big. I imagine this is a non focus/title I school.

Its hard even with smaller class sizes. Most kids don't get what they need and parents if they can should supplement at home. We had to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the point of the limit if they have to be 2 over each class. Just make the limit, the f'ing limit. And why is one class 26 vs 28 and not 27 each

I’m OP. It’s because one room is significantly larger. There is an extra room now too, but it is also small.

Thanks everyone for the 2+ clarification. Seems like we’ll just have to hope for a family of triplets to move in (joking), and even that is no guarantee the situation will be fixed.

[Anonymous]

Get used to it. Teaching isn't a desirable job in 2024. There's nobody out there to hire. We're very close to needing an additional section at my elementary school but the talent pool is very small and shallow. The last teacher we hired wouldn't have been my first choice five years ago but in 2024, they were marginally better than the other applicants. I'm still worried about their ability to make it the full year.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Monifa

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing happens. You get a large classroom and have to hope the teacher can handle it.

And you hope to get a larger classroom as well.

[Anonymous]

But if your contract is broken...it doesn't matter because teachers have no power...just hope admin can stay off your back and let you do your job without harassment or making up negative stories