Local teacher urges El Segundo board to enshrine class-size caps and compensation
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Summary
A Richmond Street School teacher told the board that firm contractual class-size limits and pay for over-cap students are needed to address behavioral challenges, special-education loads and low morale; the board received the comment during public communications.
During public communications at the Jan. 13 El Segundo Unified School District board meeting, teacher Carolyn Elder urged trustees to adopt firm contractual limits on class size and to compensate teachers when classes exceed those caps.
Elder identified herself as a Richmond Street School teacher and a parent of three district graduates and said she currently has 23 students. “Teachers should receive financial compensation for even 1 student over the class size cap,” she said, describing the increased workload when classrooms include multiple IEPs and students with attention and social-emotional regulation needs.
She warned that reassurances from administration are “not the same as contractual language,” noting turnover among administrators and loss of institutional knowledge. Elder said low morale and pay competitiveness are driving concerns about retaining and recruiting teachers and urged the board to include class-size protections in labor agreements.
Board members acknowledged the comment during the meeting; the item was part of the public comment period and no formal action or response was taken during the meeting. Trustees later proceeded with the published agenda, including consent and action items.
The transcript does not record a formal staff proposal or a board directive in response to Elder’s request; any change to contract language would require negotiation and board action in a future agenda item.
