Board hears class-size report as some elementary and high-school sections exceed thresholds
Summary
Administration reported class-size averages across elementary, middle and high schools and described the mechanics of balancing enrollment and sibling placement; several elementary grades exceed policy thresholds at individual schools and West High School has multiple core classes above 25 students.
Leslie Doherty, an assistant superintendent, walked the Board of School Committee through a school-by-school class-size review on Oct. 27 and described how the district manages enrollment when more new students arrive than withdraw during the summer. Doherty said the district generally avoids moving elementary students after the school year begins to protect established routines, but that sibling placement, late enrollments and capacity limits can require reassignment.
The report included a hypothetical reallocation showing how returning students to their 'home' schools would change specific grade enrollments at schools such as McDonough and Webster. Doherty and Ryan Roth (assistant superintendent for middle/high schools) said most middle schools average 19—23 students per class and generally stay below the 25-student threshold; Hillside (a large middle school) and Parkside had overages in particular core or advanced classes. At the high-school level Roth said West High School showed 15 core classes with rosters between 26 and 30 students, while other high schools had fewer or no sections in that range; he said he would review scheduling patterns and combined sections.
Superintendent Dr. Espinola reminded the board that the district adopted a revised class-size policy in June 2022 and that reducing class size requires classroom space and additional staffing. Members asked for clearer capacity definitions and how the new state open-enrollment rule (allowing school-to-school requests) will affect capacity calculations; administration said the law permits denial only on the basis of student-to-teacher ratios.
Context: The board and administration said they will continue to monitor openings and the impact of transfers on class sizes, and to present more detailed data to committees as scheduling and facility discussions proceed.
