Red Clay School Board Rejects Class Size Waiver Request - Demands State Should Fund Their Mandated Class Size

Update: Christina fails to protect its children, (WDEL) Jim Hilgen reports ~ Christina SD opts for larger classrooms, future reductions

Board member John Young voted against the waiver. He says it behooves the board to act in the best interest of the students. "There's probably no more proven technique that making sure that classes are the correct size. Christina this year has enough money in its operating revenues. Right now we have an excess that would permit us to spend this money, and reduce class sizes, I feel, to the extreme benefit of the students," says Young. 

This is BIG NEWS! I've been seeing the classified ads giving public notice to the school boards' "item for approval to waive class size" for RCSD, CSD, APPO and others over the past week.

(WDEL) Michelle Provencher  has the story (with video)~  School board votes on combatting crowded classrooms

For the first time, the Red Clay School Board did not approve a waiver allowing classes to exceed the state maximum of students per room.  Year after year, the Red Clay School Board - representing the largest school district in the state - approves a measure allowing extra students per classroom, more than the state-mandated max. Delaware PTA President Yvonne Johnson [said] "For years I've been coming to these meetings, every year they get a waiver. It's like a dog and pony show."

At Wednesday's meeting, however, the board could not get the required four votes. Board members said they did not know what the ramifications would be of not being in compliance with the state mandate, as this is the first incident. Superintendent Merv Dougherty said repercussions could include two million dollars being deducted from local funds to gain compliance, or the State Department of Education stepping in to manage district staff. Dougherty also added that not approving the waiver, "will not change one legislator's mind."

........Some Kindergarten through third grade classrooms in Red Clay have as many as 26 students, more than the state-mandated max of 22 per room. Highlands Elementary, for example, is one. School Board Member Adriana Bohm says crowded classes impede learning for all kids, but more so for those from low-income households. "I think that's especially important in our district because if you look at Red Clay, we're a district that's more poverty-stricken than affluent, even though we have a wide range of diversity in terms of economics." Measure failed 3-3, with School Board President Dr. Faith Newton, and members Cathy Thompson and Kenneth Woods voting in favor of the waiver, Bohm, Michael Piccio and Kenneth Rivera voting opposed, and Martin Wilson, Sr. absent from the meeting.  While the waiver fell flat, Bohm's resolution passed. "So basically my resolution calls for the State to fund the mandate because if we're going to have a mandate that says we should have a class size of 22, then the State should provide funding for it because districts aren't always able to provide the funds to hire those teachers."

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