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Parents and advocates tell Anne Arundel school board overcrowded classes and special‑education removals are harming students
Summary
Two speakers at the Board of Education meeting urged action on rising fourth‑grade class sizes at Jones Elementary and on special‑education placement practices that they say remove students from general education without adequate parental input.
Ashley Bernrice, a parent of a fourth grader at Jones Elementary, told the Anne Arundel County Board of Education that rising class sizes are harming instruction and student learning. “Our 4th grade classrooms are overcrowded with our class sizes that increased from last year at 26 students to now at 31 students,” Bernrice said, adding that teachers have been forced to modify assignments and “can't get through all the material because of the larger class sizes and student needs.”
The parent said more than 20 families from Jones Elementary have contacted their board district member, Michelle Hamm, the regional superintendent, and the superintendent but “had not received a meaningful response.” Bernrice praised Jones teachers as “dedicated” but said board action is needed to “prioritize additional resources to the 4th grade classrooms at Jones Elementary, or to try to reduce the class sizes to ensure each student receives the attention that they deserve.”
Later in the public comment period, Cheryl Johnston, a mother of two students at Severna Park High School, urged the board to revisit how special‑education placements are determined. “The removal is being recommended by county officials who have limited interaction with the students, made with limited IEP data, made with 0 to minimal conversation with parents, and taking the student outside of the general education environment for over 80% of the school hours,” Johnston said.
Johnston said placement conversations focus on removing students from general education rather than on instructional supports, and that such decisions often start in early elementary grades and repeat throughout a student’s school career. “Assumption of competence should prevail,” she said, and described a student labeled with a severe intellectual disability who nonetheless authored a published work but was not being accommodated in general education.
Why it matters: Large class sizes can change how teachers plan lessons and deliver individualized help; advocates say changes to placement practices affect access to the general education curriculum and parental rights. Both speakers asked the board to intervene—Bernrice for smaller fourth‑grade classes at Jones Elementary and Johnston for policies and practices that preserve least restrictive environments for students with disabilities.
What the board said or did: The board did not take a formal vote or direct staff in the public comment segment captured in the transcript. Staff and board members were told public comments may be referred to the superintendent for follow‑up.
Context and next steps: Bernrice said more than 20 parents have contacted Michelle Hamm and central office leaders; Johnston asked for a broader discussion of inclusion and of how IEP decisions are made and communicated. Neither speaker requested a specific policy change on the record; both requested that the board prioritize follow‑up and accountability through the superintendent’s office.
Ending: The board heard these comments in the public comment portion of its meeting; the speakers said they expect district staff to follow up through the superintendent’s office or the district’s usual referral channels.
