District staff presented an update on prekindergarten through fifth‑grade class sizes and said several classrooms are above the district’s 22:1 target, a condition allowed under the district’s District of Innovation (DOI) plan when reported to the Board of Trustees.

Dr. Dixon, who delivered the report, said the DOI permits exceeding a 22:1 ratio but requires board notification and a local plan to support classrooms that exceed it. She said classrooms at multiple campuses—Garrett, Monahan, Shellen, Sheldon Lake and others—have sections with 22–25 students; Garrett has two second‑grade classes of 25 and one of 24, prompting the district to post an additional teaching position for that campus. To avoid hiring a new full‑time employee (FTE) where possible, the district temporarily transferred EC/A teachers between campuses when some pre‑K classes had low enrollment and others had overages.

To lower adult‑to‑student ratios without permanently expanding payroll, the district said it would reuse after‑school program staff as in‑class supports. The presenters said those staff are already employed by the district, have required clearances (fingerprinting) and receive targeted training and campus administration oversight; when used, they create an effective 2‑adult classroom configuration. District officials said this approach reduced the need to hire paraprofessionals and kept local costs low.

On funding, Dr. Dixon noted that last year the district used ESSER funds for similar supports; this year the district plans to use federal Title I funds to pay for after‑school staff assigned as classroom support, and officials emphasized that no local general‑fund dollars would be tapped for the temporary assignments. She said the district monitors enrollment daily and will proceed with hiring if a campus reaches a sustained threshold (25 students across a section), as with Garrett Elementary.

The board asked follow‑up questions about enrollment timing and staffing impacts; Dr. Dixon said monitoring began in late September/early October and that parents at affected campuses received letters explaining the transitions and supports. The board did not take formal action on staffing at the meeting.