Perrydale SD 21 board authorizes administrators to fill classes up to new caps

The Perrydale SD 21 School Board voted unanimously to authorize administrators to use a lottery to fill classroom openings up to specified caps for the 2024–25 year.

At the board action item on enrollment language, a board member moved that administration be empowered to fill class sizes as follows: kindergarten and first grade up to 24; grades 2–5 up to 25; grades 6–8 up to 26; grades 9–10 up to 27; and grades 11–12 up to 25. The motion was seconded and, after brief discussion, passed unanimously (the board recorded the motion and its adoption without individual vote tallies) (SEG 661–681).

Supporters said the policy preserves current class-size targets while giving staff limited flexibility to fill seats that become available after registration. The Superintendent summarized past discussions of per-grade targets and explained that the administration would use the district’s lottery process when adding students, particularly in grades where class counts fluctuate (SEG 499–506, SEG 653–661). A board member told colleagues the motion would allow the administration to recruit to agreed-upon numbers without exceeding the caps (SEG 600–616).

Opponents of higher caps said they worried about maintaining smaller class sizes in upper grades; one board member specifically urged care with 11th- and 12th-grade numbers before finalizing a broad rule (SEG 587–593). The motion’s final wording reflected a compromise on per-grade limits that board members had discussed at a recent special meeting (SEG 614–645).

The action gives the district clarity for immediate registration and roster management; the board did not attach additional conditions or funding changes to the motion. Next steps included recording the approved caps in district materials and communicating the lottery process to families before the fall term (SEG 671–681).