How many kids are in your child's pre-k3 class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, that's not life in DCPS. The limit is 16 as far as I know (18 for pre-K), with one teacher and one aid in the classroom. If there are 21 - possibly because ages are mixed and divvied out again in some way - then there would indeed need to be 3 teachers. But the teacher student ratio isn't the only thing to look at. Space counts for something, too. If it's a large group with roughly one competent adult for each 8 kids, then there needs to be breakout space. I can't imagine 21 3yo in a bunch, no matter how many adults are standing around.

Well, if there is a really strict cap, do you think the principal would allow 21 in the class? If there are 21 on the class list, sounds like the cap is flexible. I have seen it go above the supposed 20 cap for PK4 in our school.

The DCPS cap for PK4 is 20 from he lottery plus one Early Stages placement, so 21.
Charters have no caps.

Of course they do. They are subject to the same staffing rules as DCPS. Some have 3 adults in the classroom so can have more kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, that's not life in DCPS. The limit is 16 as far as I know (18 for pre-K), with one teacher and one aid in the classroom. If there are 21 - possibly because ages are mixed and divvied out again in some way - then there would indeed need to be 3 teachers. But the teacher student ratio isn't the only thing to look at. Space counts for something, too. If it's a large group with roughly one competent adult for each 8 kids, then there needs to be breakout space. I can't imagine 21 3yo in a bunch, no matter how many adults are standing around.

Well, if there is a really strict cap, do you think the principal would allow 21 in the class? If there are 21 on the class list, sounds like the cap is flexible. I have seen it go above the supposed 20 cap for PK4 in our school.

The DCPS cap for PK4 is 20 from he lottery plus one Early Stages placement, so 21.
Charters have no caps.

Of course they do. They are subject to the same staffing rules as DCPS. Some have 3 adults in the classroom so can have more kids.

They are not. For example, DC Bilingual had 21-22 in a class with a teacher and an aide last year. bridges had 18 with a teacher and an aide. The Charter Board does not impose the same caps as DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, that's not life in DCPS. The limit is 16 as far as I know (18 for pre-K), with one teacher and one aid in the classroom. If there are 21 - possibly because ages are mixed and divvied out again in some way - then there would indeed need to be 3 teachers. But the teacher student ratio isn't the only thing to look at. Space counts for something, too. If it's a large group with roughly one competent adult for each 8 kids, then there needs to be breakout space. I can't imagine 21 3yo in a bunch, no matter how many adults are standing around.

Well, if there is a really strict cap, do you think the principal would allow 21 in the class? If there are 21 on the class list, sounds like the cap is flexible. I have seen it go above the supposed 20 cap for PK4 in our school.

The DCPS cap for PK4 is 20 from he lottery plus one Early Stages placement, so 21.
Charters have no caps.

Of course they do. They are subject to the same staffing rules as DCPS. Some have 3 adults in the classroom so can have more kids.

They are not. For example, DC Bilingual had 21-22 in a class with a teacher and an aide last year. bridges had 18 with a teacher and an aide. The Charter Board does not impose the same caps as DCPS.

+1 my kid was at another charter last year with 21 Pk3 kids, a teacher & an aide. I was worried about it, but it was ok. Probably depends more on teacher experience.

[Anonymous]

We are at Seaton for PK4. There are 16 kids in our class.

[Anonymous]

Bridges had 18 in the class with a teacher and an assistant but, the do mixed PreK3 and PreK4. So, in my kid's class it was about even - nine three year olds and nine four year olds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:21 3 year olds in one classroom is A LOT of 3 year olds. Especially since some are going to be really young 3s who might still need a lot of help in the bathroom etc.

Most private preschools will have classes of 8-10 3 year olds with several adults in the room. 15 seems more reasonable for public preschool. 21 is just nuts.

Maybe this is why IT'S has the 3 strikes and your out potty rule

Wow, 3 potty accidents and they kick you out? That seems harsh for a young 3 yo.

[Anonymous]

It's not true and they don't. My kid is going into K at ITS and certainly had more than 3 accidents his PS year. They are serious about expecting your kid to be potty trained but are quite accommodating for developmentally appropriate accidents.

More to the point, ITS does have larger class sizes for the little kids than most schools. I've found they are very up front about this with parents and it's worked well, in my experience.

[Anonymous]

13 with two teachers and an aide

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not true and they don't. My kid is going into K at ITS and certainly had more than 3 accidents his PS year. They are serious about expecting your kid to be potty trained but are quite accommodating for developmentally appropriate accidents.

More to the point, ITS does have larger class sizes for the little kids than most schools. I've found they are very up front about this with parents and it's worked well, in my experience.

They also seem to have one more adult than others. I would be fine with this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At ITS we had 22 student with 2 Teachers and an aide.

+1 and it worked lovely.

I would think it would be really noisy, particularly during center time.

[Anonymous]

17 with 2 teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At ITS we had 22 student with 2 Teachers and an aide.

+1 and it worked lovely.

I would think it would be really noisy, particularly during center time.

Not really. Kids are taught to keep voices low. I've seen rooms of 10 kids be chaotic and noisy and rooms of 30 hum with productive work.

[Anonymous]

pretty amazing the charters are allowed to have bigger class sizes and higher ratios than day care facilities: http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/611_Licensing_Regulations_29_DCMR_3.pdf p.43 shows that for 3 year olds, the maximum group size is 16 and it must be a 1:8 ratio.

[Anonymous]

pretty amazing the charters are allowed to have bigger class sizes and higher ratios than day care facilities: http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/os...sing_Regulations_29_DCMR_3.pdf p.43 shows that for 3 year olds, the maximum group size is 16 and it must be a 1:8 ratio.

That chart shows the maximum group size for 30 months through 3 years old. You won't have 2.5 year olds in PK3 at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

pretty amazing the charters are allowed to have bigger class sizes and higher ratios than day care facilities: http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/os...sing_Regulations_29_DCMR_3.pdf p.43 shows that for 3 year olds, the maximum group size is 16 and it must be a 1:8 ratio.

That chart shows the maximum group size for 30 months through 3 years old. You won't have 2.5 year olds in PK3 at school.

True, but when they say 3 they are talking about until they turn 4. So 30 months until 48 months. So in a child care center, you are not allowed to have a group size larger than 16 until all children in the group are 4.