30 kids in 3rd grade this year - but it was DC's best year ever. the class size isn't a big driver to me. certainly i wouldn't leave my great public because of it. i would leave if the teachers were terrible and the curriculum was bad.

Anonymous wrote:There was just a thread that discussed the disparity between various local level IV programs. There were differences in the number of children eligible from each base school with local level IV, the actual curriculum taught, and the class is actually structured and integrated with the non AAP students. These might have a lot to do with why some parents opt for the center verses just the status symbol of being at a center school. It also appears it is hard to get data on how the local level IV programs are run and how large the program is from year to year.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/240933.page#2505343

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think some of the parents who push, push, push to get their child into an AAP level 4 center program should compare the size of those classes with the size of the classes of the school they are leaving. With the huge expansion this year of the numbers of students who qualified for level 4, those classes will be packed. In the meantime, is there still a quality program back at the base school? Or is,the need for status worth the 30+ students in one room?

Many schools have Local Level IV options at the base school that will work for moderately gifted kids. But for kids that are highly or exceptionally gifted, or for kids with a small number of Center-eligible kids in the base school's Local Level IV classroom, the Center is a better fit.

Yes, I know. I really wished ALL schools had a Level IV option but from what I have heard, even the schools that do have the option, many (the majority?) of parents still choose to send their children to the center based program. Do we really have that many "highly or exceptionally gifted" students that cannot be served at their base school's level IV, or is it due to the "status" of having a child in the center? Personally, I feel it is the latter. This year has opened the flood gates to level IV eligible kids due,to the new CogAT and lack of changing the cut off. Something is going to have to give. But then again, maybe I forget, is this really Lake Wobegone and our children are really all above average? Sorry for that. I really do like hearing from the parents here who are pleased with their Title I school experiences. Those schools have so many more resources for ALL students and lower numbers in th classrooms.

Please share these statistics about the opening "of the flood gates to level IV eligible kids due to the new CogAT and lack of changing the cut off."

The only information I have heard about was the change in using the CogAT composite score as the benchmark for establishment of the 2nd grade pool. As you know, the 2nd grade pool is not the same thing as Level IV eligibility.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/215608.page#2144747

There was just a thread that discussed the disparity between various local level IV programs. There were differences in the number of children eligible from each base school with local level IV, the actual curriculum taught, and the class is actually structured and integrated with the non AAP students. These might have a lot to do with why some parents opt for the center verses just the status symbol of being at a center school. It also appears it is hard to get data on how the local level IV programs are run and how large the program is from year to year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think some of the parents who push, push, push to get their child into an AAP level 4 center program should compare the size of those classes with the size of the classes of the school they are leaving. With the huge expansion this year of the numbers of students who qualified for level 4, those classes will be packed. In the meantime, is there still a quality program back at the base school? Or is,the need for status worth the 30+ students in one room?

Many schools have Local Level IV options at the base school that will work for moderately gifted kids. But for kids that are highly or exceptionally gifted, or for kids with a small number of Center-eligible kids in the base school's Local Level IV classroom, the Center is a better fit.

Yes, I know. I really wished ALL schools had a Level IV option but from what I have heard, even the schools that do have the option, many (the majority?) of parents still choose to send their children to the center based program. Do we really have that many "highly or exceptionally gifted" students that cannot be served at their base school's level IV, or is it due to the "status" of having a child in the center? Personally, I feel it is the latter. This year has opened the flood gates to level IV eligible kids due,to the new CogAT and lack of changing the cut off. Something is going to have to give. But then again, maybe I forget, is this really Lake Wobegone and our children are really all above average? Sorry for that. I really do like hearing from the parents here who are pleased with their Title I school experiences. Those schools have so many more resources for ALL students and lower numbers in th classrooms.

Another FCPS Title I parent here (rising first grader). DC had 22 kids in K (teacher and IA). First grade was 18 last year. We are very happy.

Anonymous wrote:I think some of the parents who push, push, push to get their child into an AAP level 4 center program should compare the size of those classes with the size of the classes of the school they are leaving. With the huge expansion this year of the numbers of students who qualified for level 4, those classes will be packed. In the meantime, is there still a quality program back at the base school? Or is,the need for status worth the 30+ students in one room?

Many schools have Local Level IV options at the base school that will work for moderately gifted kids. But for kids that are highly or exceptionally gifted, or for kids with a small number of Center-eligible kids in the base school's Local Level IV classroom, the Center is a better fit.

I think some of the parents who push, push, push to get their child into an AAP level 4 center program should compare the size of those classes with the size of the classes of the school they are leaving. With the huge expansion this year of the numbers of students who qualified for level 4, those classes will be packed. In the meantime, is there still a quality program back at the base school? Or is,the need for status worth the 30+ students in one room?

I just wanted to post to an older thread on class sizes in FCPS. I recalled it because it's been a frustration of mine as a parent with two kids in FCPS. In 4th grade my daughter had 34 kids in her class! Luckily she had an amazing teacher. So like the PP, although it's been frustrating, I can't say the teaching quality has suffered too much because of it (at least not a $50k concern of mine). I like how he/she put that in perspective at bit for me - thanks.

Here's the other thread:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/45/187092.page

Here's one of my posts:
Actually, the max allowable depends on the age group --
so for 1st-3rd, it's 30 students
for 4-6, it's 35 max.

I found this out by calling the county, because I was curious. Mind you, it took a while to get a straight answer. The person I spoke with told me they follow the state mandates as far as the maximum allowable student/teacher ratio. So here is the link and the applicable section. I've cut/pasted it below:

§ 22.1-253.13:2. Standard 2. Instructional, administrative, and support personnel.
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superin...endents_memos/2011/196-11a.pdf

C. Each school board shall assign licensed instructional personnel in a manner that produces divisionwide ratios of students in average daily membership to full-time equivalent teaching positions, excluding special education teachers, principals, assistant principals, counselors, and librarians, that are not greater than the following ratios: (i) 24 to one in kindergarten with no class being larger than 29 students; if the average daily membership in any kindergarten class exceeds 24 pupils, a full-time teacher's aide shall be assigned to the class; (ii) 24 to one in grades one, two, and three with no class being larger than 30 students; (iii) 25 to one in grades four through six with no class being larger than 35 students; and (iv) 24 to one in English classes in grades six through 12.

OP, I know how you feel. When my kids were heading into kindergarten, I was used to seeing them in a preschool/day care class of 20 with two teachers and it still seemed like plenty! I was worried about kindergarten classes of 27+.

Well, yes, FCPS kindergarten classes are 28-30 in my kids' school (teacher + aide). First grade was 22 (one teacher). Second grade was 30 kids (one teacher). I'm not thrilled with it. Even though it bothers me, it doesn't bother me to the tune of $50K-60K per year (the cost of two kids in private). I would LOVE to have 20-23 kids/class. Smaller would be better, and I'm sure my children would have a better experience if the teacher had more time for them.... so if $$ were infitinte, then I would probably send my kids to private. Has the large class size kept my children from learning what they should or has it negatively impacted their safety? No.

Unless you have so much money that $200K+ would not matter to you over the next few years, I think you might want to try FCPS for kindergarten and see if your fears are reality. You'll probably find that your children do fine even in a big class. If not, at least you will be confident you are spending the $ for something your really want and can't get elsewhere.

22 in DS's 1st grade class. Arlington public school.

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. What are the requirements for Title I. We have a good percentage of FARMs students at our school. I wonder if we're close. I'd love to have smaller classes.

23:00 here. At our school 75% of the students receive Free or Reduced lunch. I believe to qualifiy for Title I funding, at least 40% of the students need to be receiving this.

Anonymous wrote:We had 28 in our fcps kinder class. but, our teacher was amazing and it never felt chaotic. really depends on the teacher.

And it also depends on the kids in the room too. Some classes are wilder than others.

Anonymous wrote:My current 3yo is in a class with 15 kids and 2 teachers. That seems just right.

Our public elementary school will have ~27 kids in each class. The kindergarten class has an aide but from first grade on, those kids will have only 1 teacher.

All the private schools seem to have class sizes of <20 kids per class. I personally like the schools with around 15 kids per class.

My kids went to a coop preschool and the threes class had 10 kids and 3 adults and it seemed barely enough most of the time! 15 3 yo kids and 2 teachers sounds like a nuthouse to me.