Class Size

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER RECOMMENDS:

The Chief Executive Officer recommends that the Board amend the Policy on Class Size as follows:

POLICY:

The merits of various class size and staff options have been considered. For the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years, a financial exigency requires that the Board delegate to the Chief Executive Officer the authority to alter class size requirements to enable the district to address the financial exigency and balance its budgets for those fiscal years and to implement any changes to class size on or after July 1, 2010.

I. Elementary Schools and Vocational Guidance Centers (if any)

• Staffing
  28 at the kindergarten level
  28 at the primary level
  31 at the intermediate level and upper grade level
  20 in the education and vocational guidance centers (if any)
  
  1. The number of classroom teaching positions provided to each elementary school will generally be determined as follows
     • The total number of intermediate and upper grade students will be divided by 31 on a whole number basis, i.e., the division will not be extended to a decimal place. If the division is uneven, then the remaining students will be included in the primary membership;
     • The total number of primary students will be divided by 28 extended to one decimal place, and rounded up to the nearest whole number;
     • The total number of kindergarten students will be divided by two, extended to one decimal place, and rounded up to the nearest whole number; this number will then be divided by 28, extended to one decimal place, and rounded up to the nearest half (0.5) number;
     • The sum of a, b, and c represents the total number of teaching positions that will be provided to each elementary school;
     • Teachers assigned to the Intensive Reading Improvement Program or to bilingual programs will not be counted as part of the number provided to implement the maximum class size program in each school.
  2. The total number of education and vocational guidance center students will be divided by 20, extended to one decimal place, and rounded up to the nearest whole number.
• Organization
  1. Elementary Schools With Space Available

     In those elementary schools in which space is available, the maximum number of students in classes will generally be as follows:

     • 27 - 29 in kindergarten classes
     • 27 - 29 in primary grade classes
     • 30 - 32 in intermediate classes and upper grade classes

     Implementation of these class sizes in specific schools may result in problems relating to class reorganization, single section classes, split grades, and installation of experimental programs. Local school deviations from the class sizes indicated above may be made by the principal, after consulting the Professional Problems Committee and the teachers involved, when necessary to implement special programs for instructional improvement or to meet special needs of the particular school.

  2. Elementary Schools Without Space Available

     In those elementary schools in which space is unavailable to organize classes as indicated above. The additional teachers provided under the staffing in "A" will share the curriculum planning. Instructional responsibilities, and all other related duties of teachers. Said additional teachers will be programmed in such a way as to provide for maximum teacher-pupil contacts on a regularly scheduled basis to share the instructional load of the classroom teachers. Said additional teachers should not be used primarily for:

     • administrative assistance
     • building security purposes
     • clerical or office-type tasks
     • discipline purposes
     • substituting
     • lunchroom duty
     • playground duty
     • guidance purposes -- adjustment and counseling

  3. All schools will be designated as schools with space available or schools without space available. Five periodic reports will be prepared during the school year and will include the following:

     • a listing of the names of the schools where space is available;
     • listing of the names of the schools where space is not available and where additional teachers have been assigned.

  4. Elementary schools without space available and where additional teachers have been assigned will:

     • receive first priority in the assignment of Cadre and day-to-day substitute teachers;
     • have physical education teachers and teacher-librarians assigned based on the number of teaching positions, with each kindergarten class counted as one position

II. High School Staffing and Organization*

• The maximum number of students in the classes indicated below will generally be as follows:

  English (regular, honors and advance placement)	28
  English (essential or basic)	25
  Mathematics (regular, honors and advanced placement)	28
  Mathematics (remedial)	25
  Foreign Language	28
  Social Studies	28
  Business Education	28
  General Science - Science Laboratory	28
  Home Economics - Non-Laboratory	28

  If essential or basic students are programmed in the same English or mathematics class with regular or honors students, the maximum class size will generally be 25 students.

  Implementation of the policy on class sizes in specific schools may result in problems relating to individual class sizes, single section classes, installation of experimental programs, scheduling of special subject classes, and class organization and reorganization. Local school deviations from the class sizes indicated above may be made by the principal, after consulting the Professional Problems Committee and the teachers involved, when necessary to implement special programs for instructional improvement or to meet special needs of the particular schools. The total number of subject matter students assigned to each teacher should not exceed the number of subject classes multiplied by the maximum class size for the given subject indicated.

• The number of students assigned to teachers indicated below will generally be determined by multiplying the number indicated next to the subject by the number of classes in the given subject.

  Art	31
  General Music	34
  Physical Education	40

III. Elementary Schools - Art & Music

The Board will continue to assign art and music teachers to elementary schools in accordance with the following formula

• .5 position for schools whose enrollment is 750 or less;
• 1.0 position for schools whose enrollment is 751 or more

IV. Shop, Home Economics, Laboratory and Drafting

Shop, home economics, laboratory and drafting classes shall be limited in size to the maximum number of work stations available in each individual physical classroom in each school. The number of stations in each individual classroom shall be determined by the individual teacher, school administrator, and the shop supervisor of the Board.

V. Special Education

The class size in special education classes shall be in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board in "Guidelines for Special Education Programs" and the Rules and Regulations of the State Board of Education.

VI. Administrative Discretion in Exceptional Circumstances

The Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer are authorized to permit deviations from this policy where circumstances in the judgment of either of them require it.

VII. Procedures For Modifying Class Size Policy

Prior to Board adoption of any amendments to this policy altering the class size provisions contained herein, notice and an opportunity to meet and confer regarding the alterations will be provided to the Chicago Teachers Union at least 45 calendar days prior to implementation.

VIII. Special Provisions for Class Size Increases and Changes in Staffing Formula Levels Due to Financial Exigencies for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 School Years.

The Board has concluded that it will be unable to balance its budget in the 2010-2011 Fiscal Year at current class size and position staffing formula levels unless the labor organizations with which it has collective bargaining agreements agree to contract modifications and/or the Board withholds contractual wage and salary increases that will alone or in combination eliminate or significantly reduce anticipated increases in labor costs. This financial exigency is created by increasing labor costs, anticipated losses in revenue from the State of Illinois and the United States government and current and anticipated nonpayment and late payment of grants by the State of Illinois. The Board anticipates that this financial exigency will continue at least through the end of the 2011-2012 Fiscal Year.

For the foregoing reasons, in the event that labor contract modifications are not achieved and/or the Board does not withhold contractual wage or salary increases sufficient to enable the Board to balance its budget for the 2010-11 or 2011-2012 school years, the Board hereby delegates to the Chief Executive Officer the authority to:

1. increase class sizes to up to 35 students at some or all elementary school levels (kindergarten, primary, intermediate and upper grades) and in all elementary subjects (including but not limited to educational and vocational centers, art, music, language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages); and,
2. increase class sizes to up to 35 students at some or all high schools levels (essential, basic, remedial, honors, advanced placement or any combination thereof) and in all High School subjects (including but not limited to English, Mathematics, Foreign Language, Business, General Science, Science Laboratory etc.).

For separate special education classes and enrollment of students with disabilities, the Chief Executive Officer shall establish class sizes consistent with Illinois State Board of Education Rules and Regulations concerning class size for students with disabilities.

For subjects that currently have class sizes in excess of 35, the Chief Executive Officer shall maintain them at the current class size level.

For art, music, library and physical education staffing formulas, the CEO may accept the unit administrator's staffing recommendation level provided that the recommendation is consistent with the Illinois School Code and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.

The Chief Executive Officer shall report to the Board when final decisions regarding class sizes for the 2010-2011 and/or 2011-2012 school years have been made. The Chief Executive Officer shall implement the decision on the first day of the fiscal year to which it applies (i.e., July 1, 2010 for Fiscal Year 2011 and July 1, 2011 for Fiscal Year 2012).

• * One of the responsibilities of all high school teachers is to work in improve reading skills of all students in all subject areas.