Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Class Size topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parent tells Hazlet school board that RBS third grades are overcrowded
Summary
John DeSantis, a Hazlet resident and parent, told the board that third-grade classes at RBS have "over 25 each" while other district classes have "less than 20," and asked who decides teacher allocations and whether IEP and ESL counts are considered.
John DeSantis, a Hazlet resident and parent, told the Hazlet Township Public School District board that third-grade classes at RBS are overcrowded and inconsistent with allocations elsewhere in the district. "This is the first time I felt compelled to come to board meeting because of what's going on at RBS at the moment," DeSantis said, recounting that some district classrooms have "less than 20 students per class" while "RBS, it seems, are over 25 each, specifically."
DeSantis asked district leaders to explain how staffing and budget allocations were made and whether the counts of students with individualized education programs (IEPs) and English as a Second Language (ESL) students were taken into account. "I'm talking about third grade here," he said, noting that third grade is the first year students take standardized tests and that higher concentrations of IEP and ESL students can affect classroom workload and instructional needs.
The transcript records DeSantis' comments and questions but does not record a response from district staff or board members in the public-comment segment. The speaker sought contact information for follow-up and asked for clarification on who makes allocation decisions and how equity across schools is ensured.
Why it matters: Class-size differences and uneven distribution of specialized students can affect classroom instruction, required support staffing, and compliance with state limits tied to special-education services. DeSantis' request for an explanation, if not answered at this meeting, may prompt follow-up requests to district administration or a staff report at a future meeting.
Next steps recorded in the meeting: Public comment concluded without an immediate recorded staff response; the item remains an outstanding request for the district to address allocation methodology and counts of IEP/ESL students.
