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Albert Lea principal says staffing losses have narrowed electives, strained CTE and EL programs
Summary
Principal Sean Gaston told the task force that a 3.1 FTE reduction, unfilled positions and reduced overload capacity have cut elective sections, constrained scheduling, and increased class sizes at Albert Lea High School, threatening student choice if cuts continue.
Sean Gaston, principal at Albert Lea High School, told the task force that staffing reductions and unfilled positions over the past year have narrowed elective options, strained career and technical education and English‑learner programs, and pushed class sizes higher.
Gaston said the building serves grades 8 through 12 with about 81 licensed staff, roughly 160 total staff and 1,178 students at the time of his remarks (he said enrollment was as high as about 1,210 at the start of the school year). He said the school reduced full‑time equivalents by 3.1 positions in the last year and managed much of that gap by relying on teacher overloads, assigning staff to the alternative learning center and online academy, and electing not to fill some openings.
The reduction in overloads, Gaston said, has had the greatest operational effect by…
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