Teacher and trustees press district for a hire to reduce combination classes

Jan Richards, an upper‑grade teacher at College View Elementary, told the Ocean View School District board on July 14 that small schools are overwhelmed by combination classes and that adding one teacher would materially reduce those combined sections.

"By allowing us to hire 1 new teacher, 4 of the 5 combination classes will be eliminated," Richards said, describing classrooms with multiple grade levels, high enrollment (including a kindergarten class with 33 students), and the strain of serving students with individualized education plans and behavioral needs in combo settings.

Trustee Westmoreland said she strongly opposes combination classes and supports hiring where it can reduce combos; she told the meeting, “I don't like combo classes at all. I would love to have none in the district.” The acting board president acknowledged the instructional benefits of smaller classes but said redistributing staff raises questions of fairness across the district’s 11 schools and requires tradeoffs with other budget priorities.

The board did not take an immediate action to add a teacher during the meeting; trustees encouraged continued conversation and public engagement to identify options that balance instructional needs with districtwide equity and fiscal constraints.

Why it matters: Combination classes affect classroom workload, differentiated instruction and special‑education placements; teacher staffing decisions are constrained by district budgets, enrollment patterns and commitments across multiple school sites. The board asked for more input and suggested the topic remain on future agendas for further consideration.