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Tyler ISD trustees debate class-size exceptions and effective use of paraprofessionals
Summary
Trustees discussed local management of class-size exceptions under the district of innovation, use and reported mixed evidence for classroom aides to move academic outcomes, and asked staff to explore targeted staffing models (apprenticeships, coaching) and better principal guidance on deploying paraprofessionals.
Deputy Superintendent Lance Gropel presented the semester class-size report and reminded the board that Tyler ISD’s District of Innovation (DOI) status allows the district to manage kindergarten-through-fourth-grade class-size exceptions locally rather than seek a state waiver. He said district enrollment was up about 100 students compared with the same time last year and that some classrooms are above the 22:1 ratio for K–4.
Trustees questioned whether providing a paraprofessional automatically improves student outcomes for classrooms over 22 students. One trustee observed that past efforts to add an aide all day “didn't make any academic difference in the classroom.” Gropel and other central-office staff said an aide's impact depends on the quality of the paraprofessional, how principals deploy them, and how the teacher uses the additional adult. “The design or the intent behind having a paraprofessional in there...is to try to take some of those things off the teacher's plate,” staff said.
Why it matters: Kindergarten and first grade are formative years for foundational literacy and numeracy; trustees stressed monitoring whether classrooms with differing headcounts (for example 18 vs. 22) show divergent outcomes. Staff noted that most classrooms with overage are at A- and B-rated campuses and that the district sometimes protects staffing at historically struggling campuses to avoid destabilizing teachers and programs.
Next steps discussed: Trustees asked for examples of effective aide deployment and whether the district has data or models that show what aides should do to “move the needle.” Staff offered that district-wide training exists but is mixed with campus-level onboarding; they agreed to research best practices and share successful models observed in peer districts, including three-tier staffing pilots (apprentice, beginning, master teacher) used selectively on targeted campuses.
Operational context and constraints: Board members noted budget limits and the difficulty of scaling innovative staffing models district-wide. Staff cautioned that candidate pools for paraprofessionals are volatile and aides often cycle in and out, complicating sustained deployment strategies.
Evidence: The class-size presentation and subsequent discussion are recorded beginning at 00:24:39 and include multiple trustee exchanges about aide quality, principal deployment, and innovative staffing pilots.
