Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Class Size topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
York County reports class-size averages within SOQ guidance; five Taub Middle PE sections exceed state limit
Summary
Dr. Higgs, a division presenter, told the York County School Board on Oct. 27 that the divisionwide pupil-teacher ratios for FY26 generally fall below Virginia Standards of Quality limits while some individual classes exceed those limits.
Dr. Higgs, a division presenter, told the York County School Board on Oct. 27 that the divisionwide pupil-teacher ratios for FY26 generally fall below Virginia Standards of Quality limits while some individual classes exceed those limits.
"At this time, we have 5 PE classes at Taub Middle School that exceed the maximum of 35 students. Letters to those families were mailed the week of October 7," Dr. Higgs said. He added the classes are over the limit by fewer than five students each.
The report showed an elementary division average pupil-teacher ratio of 21.8:1 (FY25 average 22:1). Resource teachers—defined by staff to include music, art, physical education, STEM and technology—had a division average of 16.2:1. Middle-school schoolwide averages were reported at about 14.1:1; high-school schoolwide averages were about 15.7:1. English-course averages across the division were reported at 19.6:1, below the SOQ guidance cited by staff.
Board members asked whether teachers affected by the Taub overages had been surveyed for their views. Dr. Higgs said administrators had not specifically queried those teachers and that, historically, PE and some band classes can run at or slightly above the 35-student threshold. He said principals sometimes assign a paraprofessional to support larger sections and that staff could report that support on future slides if requested.
The presentation reiterated that families must be notified if a student is assigned to a class that exceeds the maximum SOQ limit. Dr. Higgs also noted classes funded through the voluntary kindergarten-through-third-grade class reduction program—currently Magruder and Yorktown Elementary for FY26—are identified separately in the division's reporting.
Board members requested staff follow up to ask affected teachers for feedback and to identify which larger sections have a paraprofessional providing support. Staff said they would gather that information.
