I've witnessed too many situations where the kids get off course and never get back on.

Anonymous wrote:It also depends on the way the teachers are instructing. Many of the popular teaching methods seem to be a hands off independent style to learning.

I’ve noticed this trend, too and I don’t think it works very well. It’s easier for the teachers because they aren’t really teaching any material, but instead function as group facilitators while the kids “teach” each other or watch video clips on the Internet. It’s important for students to learn how to work in groups, sure; however, I’ve witnessed too many situations in which one or two students were carrying the weight for the entire group. Although that happens all the time in the workplace, kids in elementary and middle school should be taught subject matter by the actual teacher.

It also depends on the way the teachers are instructing. Many of the popular teaching methods seem to be a hands off independent style to learning.

Class size is very important at any age. A teacher can give a student a lot more attention in a class of 20 than in a class of 35.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ The largest 6th grade class had 19 at my school.

Nice. I think that’s a good size for 6th grade. So often the school of thought seems to be that the older elementary classes can be the ones that are larger. Ours has 31 in a trailer.

If there has to be a decision, it is more important that the younger classes be smaller.

Anonymous wrote:^ The largest 6th grade class had 19 at my school.

Nice. I think that’s a good size for 6th grade. So often the school of thought seems to be that the older elementary classes can be the ones that are larger. Ours has 31 in a trailer.

^ The largest 6th grade class had 19 at my school.

^ yes. My kid’s first grade class had 18 kids.

If you want smaller class sizes, you need to consider lower-rated schools. My child’s ES is one that many people on DCUM would dismiss, based on its low GreatSchool rating. My children are getting a good education, are happy and well-adjusted, and class sizes at our school are tiny compared to other schools mentioned here. I think my child will benefit more from a smaller class and individual attention than from an overcrowded classroom at a “better” school.

Anonymous wrote:If you want to guarantee smaller class sizes you have to go private or move to Arlington. APS has about 21-22 kids in each class, Kindergarten through 5th Grade. Not sure that would be sustainable in a county the size of Fairfax.

We will see if those hold in Arlington as their population grows and the available facilities do not keep up.

If you want to guarantee smaller class sizes you have to go private or move to Arlington. APS has about 21-22 kids in each class, Kindergarten through 5th Grade. Not sure that would be sustainable in a county the size of Fairfax.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there such a rule? Just found out my kid's classroom is up to 31 kids with ONE teacher, as are all the other classes in her grade.
IS THIS ALLOWED??? We are new to FCPS and I'm just in shock and also clueless.

My oldest had 34 in his 5th grade class almost ten years ago. They can be up to 35 in the upper ES grades.

that is effing absurd.

It is still within the state minimums.

Yes, but not within FCPS mins anymore. Class Size Counts and other advocates worked to change it. See Reg. 1302.

I was aware of these regs two years ago when all of our third grades were at 30 or 31 to start the year. They did assign an IA to the grade level and gave lip service to adding another class, but they never did. We regularly have grade levels with 30-33 per class, but often that falls on 6th grade.

Title 1 only has the caps through 3rd grade.

My child had 31 for 5th and 6th grade (during the last two school terms), and my other child had similar in the two years preceeding that (also 5th and 6th grade). This was at an AAP center.

In one year, my older child had 32 kids... but I think one child moved away pretty quick as she didn't speak any English. And the teacher was a first year teacher (2nd career) in a 5th grade classroom. This is a school that had 12% FARMS kids. Not an AAP center.

I've come to expect 30-32 per elementary school class. Welcome to Public education -- you are a widget in the great big machine.

The Principal is probably having trouble finding another teacher at this late date.

More likely, some of the other grades have small classes. Class sizes are determined at the school. Teachers are allocated according to school enrollment, and if the grade level numbers don't work out, some grades may have extremely small classes while others are very large. Another alternative is to have split level classes, but that is pretty unpopular. Another factor that plays in is if you have AAP in your school and may be dividing the AAP kids up from one number and the gened from another. So, AAP might be extra large or gened might have extra large at the same grade level.