Massapequa board hears class-size forum showing district-wide support staffing ratio under 10-to-1
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Summary
District presenters told the Massapequa Board of Education that when all instructional and pupil personnel staff are counted, the district’s 663 full-time equivalents for roughly 6,400 students yield a ratio under 10-to-1; administrators described financial and space constraints that limit lowering class sizes.
Presenters told the Massapequa Union Free School District Board of Education that, when classroom teachers are combined with pupil personnel and specialist staff, the district’s 663 full-time equivalents for about 6,400 students produce a staffing ratio under 10-to-1.
That ratio was the crux of a class-size forum presentation explaining how the district balances classroom size goals, special-area coverage and budget constraints. School administrators said adding a single elementary classroom typically requires roughly 1.2 full-time equivalents when art, music, library and physical education schedules are factored in and estimated that the district budgets about $130,000 per full-time teacher (salary plus benefits); an additional elementary section therefore can cost about $156,000. Secondary sections may require partial FTEs because secondary teachers teach multiple periods; presenters estimated a 0.2 FTE increment at roughly $26,000 for an added secondary course section.
District staff emphasized that class-size guidelines are applied across six buildings and that decisions to add sections follow a multi-step process. Administrators said they gather principals’ input, examine enrollment changes and staffing availability, consider space and materials needs, and evaluate certification and hiring feasibility before proposing any staffing additions to the board. They also told the board that shortages in specific certification areas make hiring for some positions difficult.
Board members praised the forum as clarifying and underscored the district’s effort to preserve related services and enrichment (music, art, library) while being fiscally responsible. Several board members pointed out the difference between the microeconomic view (specific classroom needs) and the macroeconomic view (districtwide equity and allocation of resources). The presenters said the forum materials and slides will be posted to the district website for public reference.
The presentation included a discussion of the district’s class-size guidelines compared with county averages; board members noted the district is “below” its own guideline medians in several grades, and administrators reiterated that guidelines are not rigid caps but tools to guide equitable staffing choices.
No formal action or vote was taken on class-size policy during the meeting; board members asked staff to continue using the guidelines, principals’ feedback and enrollment monitoring when developing staffing proposals for future board consideration.