Class sizes in FCPS- what is the real deal? (ES)

[Anonymous]

They've been increasing the general ed class size ratio for the last several years to where it's now getting out of control. School capacity is one problem, but the other is really just class size. Does Arlington also have this needs based staffing ratio where ESL kids and FRM kids are counted almost as 2 students? They seem to do ok class size wise even in schools without a lot of FRM and ESL students.

[Anonymous]

I've taught all kinds of kids at the primary level. Of course, the struggling kids need more help. But, staffing those classes at 15 while other schools have 30 is just wrong.

[Anonymous]

I post on a childrens shopping board with members all over the country and there was a thread about first grade class sizes with over 50 replies. The only schools with huge elementary classes like ours were in California. Every other public school was less than 25, most more like 20.

[Anonymous]

And we know how good the schools are in California.

[Anonymous]

Do you have the link to the thread?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, its a members-only forum.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know how specialists (music, art, etc.) are counted? How about special ed and ld?

[Anonymous]

By FCPS or the state of VA? All the staffing allocations per FCPS are in the budget book in the appendix. Elementary staffing is on pages 359-362.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By FCPS or the state of VA? All the staffing allocations per FCPS are in the budget book in the appendix. Elementary staffing is on pages 359-362.

Page 197 of the same booklet has a clear explanation and sample of how an elementary school is staffed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh goodie. FCPS now exceeds China's standards from 20 years ago. Seriously, is this the best FCPS can do? VA does not have the private schools that MD has. Just watch the wealthy people of VA leave if class sizes continue on this trend and then who will pay for all the esl and frm kids? Certainly not these families themselves.

And we would care because.... What an elitist, crap attitude.

[Anonymous]

Looking at page 197, it shows level 2 students included in the total school count verses being separate as indicated in the appendix. It also shows that the number of teachers gets rounded up instead of this school only getting a part time teacher. It lists the ESOL students as only getting ESOL resource teachers. Do these teachers become classroom teachers instead? There is no real discussion of the K-3 initiative on this sheet. The classroom teacher ratio for this school not including ESOL but with the rounded teacher ends up being 25.8 for grades 1-6 (696/27). Including ESOL teachers the average is 21.4. FCPS lists the average class size for 2012-2013 as 21.9 and lists only one school higher than 25.8. The state average is 24.5. The only way even this school meets the state average is by including ESOL teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have neighborhood schools and get rid of magnet schools and special programs (except ED and severe need special ed.). Draw boundaries so that school size is reasonable.

+100

[Anonymous]

6:39 Like it or not, wealthy people in this county are helping to offset the costs other families in the county have to pay for educating their children. Many of them are living in areas where the public schools are getting overcrowded classrooms whether they have children in them or not.

[Anonymous]

Montgomery County for instance lost about 8 billion in income when they tried to tax millionaires more than millionaires were willing to pay. They moved out causing a budget shortfall and increased taxes on the entire county.

[Anonymous]

And we would care because.... What an elitist, crap attitude

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