Parent help for classroom over crowding

[Anonymous]

Hello! I am a kinder parent at my IB school. We have multiple kinder rooms & each room has at least 27 kids. I know this isn’t an uncommon problem in the district. When I asked school leaders about the large sizes they conceded that the classroom cap for kinder is 20 (I’m guessing per the contract) but that there is nothing that can be done this year.
I’m asking- not just to complain but to see what/ if any solutions parents/schools have come up with. If the cap is really 20- we have enough extra kindergarten students to overfill another class.

[Anonymous]

Is there space for another classroom? It really is the principal’s call and much parents can do but advocate, ideally through the PTA, for an addl classroom for 1st. Even if they could add a class now, you’re unlikely to get a decent, experienced teacher.

[Anonymous]

Is it 20 with a para? Often times classes can go larger because of a full time para assigned to it.

[Anonymous]

If isn’t a common problem district-wide.

[Anonymous]

If the issue is physical space there is little you can do. This is the price you pay for being WOTP.

[Anonymous]

Op. I am not WOTP. And yes- there is space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op. I am not WOTP. And yes- there is space.

Then they are probably waiting to see how many kids leave before count day. Ask for a meeting and for the plan of how they will handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the issue is physical space there is little you can do. This is the price you pay for being WOTP.

Nice try, PP.

[Anonymous]

FYI OP - may or may not be helpful.

The WTU-DCPS contract does say that the K class size should not exceed 20 students. It also lists acceptable reasons for deviation from that limit. You should know these before engaging with the administration on this since one or none of these may apply to your school. http://www.wtulocal6.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/WTU-DCPS-contract.pdf

An acceptable reason for altering the class size may be any of the following:

23.13.3.1 Lack of sufficient funds for equipment, supplies, or rental of classroom space;

23.13.3.2 Lack of classroom space and/or personnel available to permit scheduling of any additional class or classes in order to reduce class size;

23.13.3.3 Conformity to the class size objective because it would result in the organization of half or part time classes;

23.13.3.4 A class larger than the above is necessary and desirable in order to provide for specialized or experimental instruction;

23.13.3.5 Placement of pupils in a subject class for which there is only one (1) on a grade level;

23.13.3.6 Size of specific classroom space is inadequate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FYI OP - may or may not be helpful.

The WTU-DCPS contract does say that the K class size should not exceed 20 students. It also lists acceptable reasons for deviation from that limit. You should know these before engaging with the administration on this since one or none of these may apply to your school. http://www.wtulocal6.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/WTU-DCPS-contract.pdf

An acceptable reason for altering the class size may be any of the following:

23.13.3.1 Lack of sufficient funds for equipment, supplies, or rental of classroom space;

23.13.3.2 Lack of classroom space and/or personnel available to permit scheduling of any additional class or classes in order to reduce class size;

23.13.3.3 Conformity to the class size objective because it would result in the organization of half or part time classes;

23.13.3.4 A class larger than the above is necessary and desirable in order to provide for specialized or experimental instruction;

23.13.3.5 Placement of pupils in a subject class for which there is only one (1) on a grade level;

23.13.3.6 Size of specific classroom space is inadequate.

At our school, the three Kindergarten classes are typically 25 kids each — and a chunk of those students are OOB. How foes the school get away with this on a perennial basis?

[Anonymous]

Holy cow thats a lot of kids. No that is not common in DC, mainly just WoTP honestly. My kid is at a title 1 east of the Park and there are four K classes and they are all 16 or 17 kids max.

[Anonymous]

We are at a WOTP of the school Kindergarten we ended up between 27-29 per class. In the four subsequent years since, an additional class has been added for this cohort, reducing class sizes to about 22. The school LSAT and the school Administration worked together to secure the additional funding from central office. A pullout/supply room was decommissioned in order to create an extra room to actually hold the kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at a WOTP of the school Kindergarten we ended up between 27-29 per class. In the four subsequent years since, an additional class has been added for this cohort, reducing class sizes to about 22. The school LSAT and the school Administration worked together to secure the additional funding from central office. A pullout/supply room was decommissioned in order to create an extra room to actually hold the kids!

That is not good. Pullout rooms for special ed students are not supposed to be shared storage space and sets the school up for a FAPE complaint. What are the therapists/specialists using now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FYI OP - may or may not be helpful.

The WTU-DCPS contract does say that the K class size should not exceed 20 students. It also lists acceptable reasons for deviation from that limit. You should know these before engaging with the administration on this since one or none of these may apply to your school. http://www.wtulocal6.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/WTU-DCPS-contract.pdf

An acceptable reason for altering the class size may be any of the following:

23.13.3.1 Lack of sufficient funds for equipment, supplies, or rental of classroom space;

23.13.3.2 Lack of classroom space and/or personnel available to permit scheduling of any additional class or classes in order to reduce class size;

23.13.3.3 Conformity to the class size objective because it would result in the organization of half or part time classes;

23.13.3.4 A class larger than the above is necessary and desirable in order to provide for specialized or experimental instruction;

23.13.3.5 Placement of pupils in a subject class for which there is only one (1) on a grade level;

23.13.3.6 Size of specific classroom space is inadequate.

At our school, the three Kindergarten classes are typically 25 kids each — and a chunk of those students are OOB. How foes the school get away with this on a perennial basis?

Sometimes the choices are between fewer classes but more kids in each class vs. letting in some OOB kids to have enough per pupil funding to hire an additional teacher to have an additional classroom so there are fewer students in each classroom. The additional per pupil funding also helps supports other things for the school, so if the school has the space then they might opt to take the extra funding. 20 kids is more ideal than 25 kids with all else being equal, but all else isn't equal. The school is getting extra $ for those 5 extra kids per class.

Also, this is public school. The city's taxes should support as many kids as possible at the better schools. Don't hold a grudge against OOB families who are trying to do what's best for their kids in a city without enough solid schools. The Principal is likely doing what DCPS HQ is expecting him/her to do.

[Anonymous]

I was under the impression 22-25 students was typical for K. Though with 2 teachers/staff in the class room.