Class Size at DCPS Brent Elementary in Capitol Hill

[Anonymous]

Hi DC Urban Mom Community,

I’m concerned about the increasing class size at Brent Elementary, a DCPS school in Capitol Hill. In years past, class sizes have been 20-21 for the elementary grades, but this year they are MUCH larger. Many classes have 24-26 students, with some as large as 28. I’m concerned because many of these new students have been admitted through the lottery (students who don’t live in-bounds) - making these class size increases purposeful decisions of the current Principal/administration.

I also recently learned that the Washington Teachers Union limits class size to 20 students - which means teachers at Brent are feeling pressured they might not face at other schools - which could lead to teachers leaving.

Any ideas on how to address this problem of larger class sizes/and possible increased future teacher turnover?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Well, you'd have to come up with a plan that didn't result in kicking out mainly people of color. That seems to be the hard part.

[Anonymous]

Why are you posting on dcum and not networking with fellow Brent parents?

[Anonymous]

There are likely reasons specific to Brent that people here would not know.

Be aware that more kids means more money in the budget. Smaller class sizes are nice, but come with a tradeoff that programs may need to be cut.

[Anonymous]

I dunno, OP. But tread carefully. You probably don't mean to advocate for a reduction in the number of at-risk kids, or special ed or racial minorities. But that might be the effect of what you are proposing. Do your research so that you don't alienate people.

[Anonymous]

Getting rid of PK3 is one option. You can read about it here:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/554912.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi DC Urban Mom Community,

I’m concerned about the increasing class size at Brent Elementary, a DCPS school in Capitol Hill. In years past, class sizes have been 20-21 for the elementary grades, but this year they are MUCH larger. Many classes have 24-26 students, with some as large as 28. I’m concerned because many of these new students have been admitted through the lottery (students who don’t live in-bounds) - making these class size increases purposeful decisions of the current Principal/administration.

I also recently learned that the Washington Teachers Union limits class size to 20 students - which means teachers at Brent are feeling pressured they might not face at other schools - which could lead to teachers leaving.

Any ideas on how to address this problem of larger class sizes/and possible increased future teacher turnover?

Thanks!

The WTU doesn't have power to limit class sizes. The contract lists sizes but also says that if circumstances require you can have more. This includes not having enough space to add a classroom. The provision is more meant to ensure equal sizes--so one teacher doesn't have 15 while the other has 25.

The contract is also posted on the WTU website for anyone to read:

23.13.3 An acceptable reason for altering the class size may be any of the following:
23.13.3.1 23.13.3.2
23.13.3.3 23.13.3.4 23.13.3.5
23.13.3.6 23.14 Teaching Assignments
Lack of sufficient funds for equipment, supplies, or rental of classroom space;
Lack of classroom space and/or personnel available to permit scheduling of any additional class or classes in order to reduce class size;
Conformity to the class size objective because it would result in the organization of half or part time classes;
A class larger than the above is necessary and desirable in order to provide for specialized or experimental instruction;
Placement of pupils in a subject class for which there is only one (1) on a grade level;
Size of specific classroom space is inadequate.

[Anonymous]

OP, how long have you had children at Brent? If you talk to old timers, who've had at least one child in the school for many years, they'll tell you that Brent is becoming a victim of its own success. The building was designed to accommodate roughly 2/3 of the kids stuffed in there. Ditching PreS3 wouldn't help much, or for very long. Yet DCPS currently has no plans to renovate Brent. Principal L and parent leaders are expected to lobby like mad to for the funds to renovate to expand capacity, presumably for years to come.

The K and 1st grade classes, large cohorts, are almost entirely in-boundary kids plus OOB with siblings. Yet DCPS isn't in Brent's corner, or on the side of any elementary school mainly serving kids from UMC families in a system where more than 2/3 of students are FARMs. At this rate, Brent's enrollment will likely start to drop as crowding and large class sizes become the new norm.

DCPS is one of the country's lowest-performing urban school systems for many reasons, which sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, how long have you had children at Brent? If you talk to old timers, who've had at least one child in the school for many years, they'll tell you that Brent is becoming a victim of its own success. The building was designed to accommodate roughly 2/3 of the kids stuffed in there. Ditching PreS3 wouldn't help much, or for very long. Yet DCPS currently has no plans to renovate Brent. Principal L and parent leaders are expected to lobby like mad to for the funds to renovate to expand capacity, presumably for years to come.

The K and 1st grade classes, large cohorts, are almost entirely in-boundary kids plus OOB with siblings. Yet DCPS isn't in Brent's corner, or on the side of any elementary school mainly serving kids from UMC families in a system where more than 2/3 of students are FARMs. At this rate, Brent's enrollment will likely start to drop as crowding and large class sizes become the new norm.

DCPS is one of the country's lowest-performing urban school systems for many reasons, which sucks.

The Principal did the same thing to Janney - it increased under her tenure as she let everyone stay. The school was at capacity - but she would make space for an child who moved OOB sibling. She gets things done - but at what cost.

[Anonymous]

There's no reason for Brent to have PK3. Getting rid of that would be a good start.

[Anonymous]

Agree that PS3 should be discontinued, or else limited to special needs or farms families. Not equitable either for families with only kids as admissions favor siblings.

Class sizes at west of the park schools have as many as 29 in kindergarten. Not so much sympathy available. Problems aren’t iñunique, but systemic to DC.

[Anonymous]

The 1st grade class is larger without a doubt. However the 4 teachers seem to be working well together and because it is basically all IB, there isn’t much that can be done. Thankfully the rest of the classes all have less than 25 students.

That being said, the school does need to be renovated as it has some of the smallest classrooms in the city.

OP, have you spoke to anyone in the LSAT about this? Enrollments (current and projected) is one of the things they cover.

[Anonymous]

OP can talk to the LSAT all she wants without the LSAT being able to fix the crowding. Brent is out of real estate and in the possession of a 10 million budget to build a six-classroom addition the school can't spend, because DCPS no longer renovates piecemeal. Ditching PS3 would make little difference - ECE classes are far too small to serve as regular classes. The principal is hardly allowing any OOB kids to enroll - its a myth that a bunch of OOB siblings are coming in. THere were only 3 in 1st grade this year. The issue is that too many IB kids are coming into the lower grades for class sizes to stay small and there's really no room on campus for more classroom trailers. Only DCPS can fix the problem by adding classroom space.

[Anonymous]

Maybe it's time to change the boundaries . . . .

[Anonymous]

What good would that do when the DCPS schools whose boundaries abut Brent's are also overcrowded? On the Brent District's southern border, Van Ness is likely to need classroom trailers to get to 5th grade in two years. On the northern border, Peabody can't absorb anywhere near all the 3-6 year olds applying to PreS3 and PreK4 in its catchment area and has large K classes. On the western border, Tyler Spanish immersion has an in-boundary waiting list. Where the logic in DCPS shifting Brent's crowding issues to one or more neighboring schools?

What's needed is political attention to crowding in popular schools with high SES populations all over the City. What was DCPS thinking when they auctioned off one old school building after another to developers on the Hill 10-20 years back? Let us guess, they weren't thinking about anything but getting the cash for the real estate.