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Parents tell trustees Hailey Elementary classrooms are disproportionately large and high‑need
Summary
Multiple Hailey parents told the board that Hailey Elementary’s upper elementary grades have significantly larger class sizes and higher concentrations of students with disabilities, English‑learner status, and economic disadvantage; they urged redistributing staff and presenting options in next month’s meeting amid tight budget constraints.
Several parents of Hailey Elementary students addressed the Blaine County School District No. 61 board April 14, urging the district to rebalance staff and resources after describing sustained disparities in class sizes and student needs.
Veronica Broderick, who identified herself as a parent of two district students and a former BCSD teacher, said a fifth‑grade cohort at Hailey would have roughly 52 students across two classes next year—about 26 per class—and that district report‑card data show Hailey schools have higher rates of low‑income students, English learners and students experiencing homelessness. “I’m asking for a resource allocation model built on student need and operational reality, not just head count,” she told trustees.
Brooke Fulmer and Amanda Houston described similar concerns: Fulmer said Hailey classrooms are “roughly 30% larger” than other schools’ classes and asked the board not to reduce staffing through attrition, while Houston urged a comprehensive look at elementary program structures to ensure equitable staffing without necessarily increasing the overall budget. Fulmer said she understands budget constraints but asked trustees to evaluate options and return next month with ideas to achieve more equitable classroom sizes; Houston reiterated requests for an operational review that might include program restructuring.
Board members acknowledged the financial constraints the district faces, and later sections of the meeting addressed enrollment projections, staffing adjustments and the process principals and district leaders will use to align positions with student needs. No formal staffing actions were taken during the public comment period; several trustees indicated administrators and building principals will continue to review projections and staffing allocations in the coming weeks.
