Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

I went to DS's Kindergarten Meet the Teacher last night and learned that the class size, which was supposed to max at 25, is now up to 26 and the class next to his has 27 . I teach first grade and my max is 25 and we do not have overages. Our union does not allow for it. His teacher told me that the so called cap is ignored by the district.
What's bothering me is that in my neighborhood there is a home daycare where children, who otherwise would be going to another school, are attending the school the daycare is zoned for.

Where I teach this is also common practice that students who live elsewhere have a babysitter or relative that live in my school zone and show proof of residence by having a piece of mail with the zoned address on it and they are accepted. Though I don't deal with overages I do deal with the negative issues that arise from children who live far distances and are being shipped around at all hours of the day and night to go to a school the parent feel is most convenient for them.

As a parent, the student/teacher ratio concerns me, as a taxpayer it also concerns me that resources are being stretched for non-residents, and as a teacher I feel for this colleague who is in this situation. Anyone else feel this way or am I alone in this boat?

Re: Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

Our district is going through the opposite - our enrollments in the elem schools are supposedly down. Still, your district shouldn't allow non-district kids to be in the school system - how is this allowed? We had to provide a tax bill and a utility bill to show proof of residency -- how is the daycare being allowed to do this? Does the owner say, "Hey, I live in X school district and I'll let you say you live with me so your DC can attend this school?" And the school district admins haven't caught this??
Our K class also has a buddy list with everyone's address on it -- do all these kids say they live in the same place?

Re: Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

I'm not sure how the situation you are describing is happening. In our district you have to show SO much to enroll including the deed to your house or your rental/lease agreement. Not sure how just attending a daycare in the area allows them to attend that school district.

As a parent, yes, I would not be happy with that class size for a K class - not happy at all. My DS's class had 17 last year and now 19 in first. That said, I have heard many teachers and school administrators say that the class size you describe does not have a negative impact on learning when compared to a smaller size class. What I would suggest as a parent is that you be in communication with your child's teacher throughout the year - enough so you are satisfied that they really *know* your child.

Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

How do you know the kids aren't supposed to go to that school to begin with? The daycare probably runs before/after care. Many do, and cater to school age children.

Our K class had 27 kids last year. Sucks, but you learn to deal.

Re: Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

Re: Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

I think I understand - perhaps the families do live in the district but would normally attend a different school in the community/neighborhood. So they're paying taxes to the SD but not attending their own "home" school?
This happened where I grew up - some friends lived in my neighborhood but went to a different school in the district because their mom worked in a different school or because their aunt/sitter lived closer to a different school.

Re: Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

Posted by nferrandi

Posted by itsbabytime

I'm not sure how the situation you are describing is happening. In our district you have to show SO much to enroll including the deed to your house or your rental/lease agreement. Not sure how just attending a daycare in the area allows them to attend that school district.

.

I agree. I actually had a problem registering DS. Our house is in a corporation name- a corporation I own. Even though I had the actual deed in my hand, that was still not good enough. I had to draw up a fake lease from my corporation to myself.

Re: Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

Every district has a person to investigate residency complaints. If you don't feel that the child belongs in the school and you are really upset, make a complaint. However, some days, I drop my son off at a babysitters house in the morning and she takes him to school. However, it is in the school we are zoned for, but now I wonder if people feel that we are not like that!

Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

I am sure some out of district kids get through the cracks. I would be very upset if my DD's class had 27 kids. She has 25 in first this year and I am not happy about that but she's in a CCT setting so there are two teachers and two aides.

The numbers really might be legit- my DD's school had 37 new first graders, which is almost unheard of. They had to open an additional class. They got about 15 kids from the full-day Catholic school K but the rest I guess just moved here.

Re: Meet the Teacher and class size for grade K

The teacher probably can't complain but you as a parent can. You need to write letters to principal and superintendent, and show up at a board meeting. If you take action they may either need to provide an aid or add a third class. Take action.

Message edited 9/21/2013 7:34:13 AM.