Language immersion v. neighborhood school and class sizes

[Anonymous]

We live in Mont. Co. Our first child will be starting school in the fall. I am trying to figure out whether we should consider the language immersion programs (particularly Spanish at Rock Creek Forest). I am excited about the idea of immersion and think it would be a great benefit. However, I am wary of the class size (25 kids in K v. 16 kids in K, per class, at neighborhood school). Is this a reason to not consider the language immersion?

[Anonymous]

First off, good luck even getting your child in! It is supposed to be very difficult.

I know several families with children in the Spanish Immersion who are happy about with it but I live in the neighborhood and have decided not to even try to get my child into it for K next year, partly due to the class size.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. Is the class size smaller for the regular (non-immersion) classes at RCF?

[Anonymous]

My DS's class size is 27 for Prek3, Prek4, and K. Its a Montessori school so the 3, 4 and 5 year olds are all together in one class, with 9 of each age.

[Anonymous]

Just curious, how could your neighborhood MoCo school have only 16 kids per class in K? Most that I know of have 20-24.

[Anonymous]

It has 16 for K and 17 for 1-2 and then the other grades are larger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has 16 for K and 17 for 1-2 and then the other grades are larger.

Yes, but still, most K classes at local schools are much larger. Are you in a high-poverty/FARMS school? I know there have been initiatives to reduce class sizes in such schools.

[Anonymous]

Yes, 43% FARMS.

[Anonymous]

The Early Success Performance Plan began in 56 elementary schools, providing them
with full-day Kindergartens. It also reduced class sizes in Kindergarten, as well as in
First, and Second Grades to 17-to-1 in all Title I schools. This allows for more smallgroup
and individual instruction within blocks of time allocated for development in
language and numeracy. Other schools, non-Title I, also maintain this ratio for reading
blocks but not necessarily for the rest of the instructional program. Class sizes had
averaged 28 in Kindergarten.

This is re: Mont. Co. class sizes.

[Anonymous]

I think roughly 10x as many families apply as there are spots, so don't plan too heavily on getting in through the lottery.

[Anonymous]

Apply through the lottery. If you actually are lucky enough to get in you can talk to some families there and get a much truer and fuller sense of the program then you will possibly get from this board. If you don't get in, you'll have lost nothing.

[Anonymous]

We know a kid who got into MoCo language immersion via the lottery in first grade. There were many fewer applicants, so the kid's chances were better. It's an extra challenge for the kid, however, and perhaps not for the faint-hearted kid, to enter in first grade as opposed to kindergarten. This particular kid did fine after a few months.

[Anonymous]

Our neighborhood school has 15 kids in K. The immersion classes have 25. It is hard a decision if you are lucky enough to be in that position. But I know a lot of parents who choose not to apply because they know that their kids (or are convinced anyway) that their kids would do better in a smaller, English speaking class.

[Anonymous]

On the other hand, the immersion kids come from families who were motivated enough to at least get their forms into the lottery and probably also to schlep their kids some distance from the home school. Depending on your local elementary school, 25 kids from motivated families might be a step up. If you are coming from Bethesda or Potomac, maybe not so much.