Finding info on class size

[Anonymous]

We are moving back to MoCo in the summer. I will have three elementary-age kids at that point. We could theoretically live anywhere in MoCo or DC, though some areas wouldn't be worth it for commute. At this point, though, I'm acting as if anywhere would work. If I wanted to prioritize small class size for my kindergartner, how would I find out that information?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are moving back to MoCo in the summer. I will have three elementary-age kids at that point. We could theoretically live anywhere in MoCo or DC, though some areas wouldn't be worth it for commute. At this point, though, I'm acting as if anywhere would work. If I wanted to prioritize small class size for my kindergartner, how would I find out that information?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/SAAG2017.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are moving back to MoCo in the summer. I will have three elementary-age kids at that point. We could theoretically live anywhere in MoCo or DC, though some areas wouldn't be worth it for commute. At this point, though, I'm acting as if anywhere would work. If I wanted to prioritize small class size for my kindergartner, how would I find out that information?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/regulatoryaccountability/glance/currentyear/SAAG2017.pdf

Thank you! There are SO MANY elementary schools !

[Anonymous]

narrow it down to the schools assigned where you want to live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:narrow it down to the schools assigned where you want to live.

Where we are now, there are 15-20 for the whole city. I could narrow down where we wanted to live based on the schools. Looks like you're right, and I'll have to do the opposite here.

[Anonymous]

Just as a rule, class sizes will be smaller at Focus or Title I schools. We are at a Focus school and class sizes were around 16-18 in K-2 and 21-25 in 3-5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just as a rule, class sizes will be smaller at Focus or Title I schools. We are at a Focus school and class sizes were around 16-18 in K-2 and 21-25 in 3-5.

That sounds perfect. I was alarmed to hear that there are no teachers' aids in MC kindergartens. How does any learning happen with 26 5-year-olds who can't read (so can't work independently), can't really work in groups, need to go to the bathroom, need tissues, need help washing up, are slow to do everything, etc., etc.? I mean, obviously it does happen, because all the kids I know have done well in school, but I'd like a smaller class given the option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just as a rule, class sizes will be smaller at Focus or Title I schools. We are at a Focus school and class sizes were around 16-18 in K-2 and 21-25 in 3-5.

That sounds perfect. I was alarmed to hear that there are no teachers' aids in MC kindergartens. How does any learning happen with 26 5-year-olds who can't read (so can't work independently), can't really work in groups, need to go to the bathroom, need tissues, need help washing up, are slow to do everything, etc., etc.? I mean, obviously it does happen, because all the kids I know have done well in school, but I'd like a smaller class given the option.

They don't have to be able to read in order to work independently, and they certainly can work in groups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just as a rule, class sizes will be smaller at Focus or Title I schools. We are at a Focus school and class sizes were around 16-18 in K-2 and 21-25 in 3-5.

That sounds perfect. I was alarmed to hear that there are no teachers' aids in MC kindergartens. How does any learning happen with 26 5-year-olds who can't read (so can't work independently), can't really work in groups, need to go to the bathroom, need tissues, need help washing up, are slow to do everything, etc., etc.? I mean, obviously it does happen, because all the kids I know have done well in school, but I'd like a smaller class given the option.

They don't have to be able to read in order to work independently, and they certainly can work in groups.

Sure. But they are 5, and they need supervision. I go to my older kids' K room now, and the assistant is constantly helping someone do something. I literally don't understand how you could cover much curriculum with 25+ 5-year-olds and no help.

[Anonymous]

Just remember that K is one year. Make sure you're picking schools that will meet your preferences well enough with the variety of issues that will arise over the course of all the other 12 years, as well.

[Anonymous]

Unless you are at a focus or Title 1 school, then researching class sizes really won't help you. All schools in the county have the same max guidelines.

For example, at our small school (we are one of the smaller ones in the county) some years the Kindergarten has had 18 kids in a class and other years 26. It all depends on enrollment that year. Once the enrollment reaches a certain size they can request an additional class/teacher. So at our School, my child had 26 in Kindergarten, but then a lot more children enrolled the next year for first grade, so they added a section, and we ended up in a class of 21.

You can look at general enrollment an whether a school is larger or smaller as that usually stays somewhat constant. At a small school you can still have huge classes, but instead of having 150 Kindergartners at recess and lunch you might only have 60.

As for how learning happens, some schools use para educators or parent volunteers. Regardless, there are a lot of worksheets.

[Anonymous]

Also, there are a fair amount of 5 year olds who can read - some quite well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just remember that K is one year. Make sure you're picking schools that will meet your preferences well enough with the variety of issues that will arise over the course of all the other 12 years, as well.

I am particularly focused on K. I do believe that a great first year of real school is important. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what has guided me in finding schools for my first two children. We're moving (again), and I'm looking again.

Title 1 or FOCUS is fine. I looked at the list; there are a few in neighborhoods I know that look like good candidates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are at a focus or Title 1 school, then researching class sizes really won't help you. All schools in the county have the same max guidelines.

For example, at our small school (we are one of the smaller ones in the county) some years the Kindergarten has had 18 kids in a class and other years 26. It all depends on enrollment that year. Once the enrollment reaches a certain size they can request an additional class/teacher. So at our School, my child had 26 in Kindergarten, but then a lot more children enrolled the next year for first grade, so they added a section, and we ended up in a class of 21.

You can look at general enrollment an whether a school is larger or smaller as that usually stays somewhat constant. At a small school you can still have huge classes, but instead of having 150 Kindergartners at recess and lunch you might only have 60.

As for how learning happens, some schools use para educators or parent volunteers. Regardless, there are a lot of worksheets.

This is a really important point. One or two kids coming or going can drastically change the class size numbers if it means an extra class gets added. At my son's school, his class is the largest of all the grades, but his actual class size is the smallest because they are so large that they tipped over into the extra classroom.
And there's really no way to predict that from year to year.

[Anonymous]

This kind of research is useless. It varies so much grade by grade, year by year.

You either pick a Focus/Title I school or you pick a non-Focus/Title I school and the max size by grade will vary on your choice.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/community/school-year-2015-2016/2016-05-staffing-guidelines-2.html

DC had 27 students in her class in K. That's one over the max but one student joined mid-year and there were still 26 in the other three classes. DC had 28 in 1st, 28 in 2nd and 28 in 3rd. For 4th we got a lot of new kids in the school so an additional class was added so each class is down to 23 which is very small.