Category Archives: Class Size

Class Size Analysis – Elementary Schools

Posted on September 8, 2015 by | 16 comments

This analysis shows the reported average class size for each grade by elementary school. The average class size for the school (grades K-5) were ranked and ordered from smallest to largest. Comment on this post and let me know if these class sizes are not accurate in your school.
Legal Max Class Size – GaDOE rule 160-5-1-.08 (thanks for the link Kirk) sets the maximum number of students that may be taught by a teacher in a class.
Waiver Max Class Size – The GaDOE will grant flexibility to class size requirements. On Sept 14 the board will be voting on School Year 2015-16 Class Size Waiver.
2-Student Buffer This year there will be no “+2” student buffer for maximum class size. The maximum size that is set in the resolution will be the maximum class size and no buffer will be permissible.
District Class Size Avg – This indicates the average for the grade across the entire district.
Advanced Content Model – Students at Wadsworth and Kittridge are instructed through the Advanced Content Model of instruction.
Failing Elementary Schools – Many of our failing elementary schools as identified by the Opportunity School District have some of the lowest average class sizes: Toney (17 students), Meadowview (17 Students), Clifton (20 students), Cedar Grove (20 students)

Opportunity School District Candidates
Advanced Content Model
School Based (Principal) Decision
Monitoring and have been in contact with Principal

 
Average Class Size For Every Elementary School By Grade

Legal Max Class Size 18 21 21 21 28 28 28 28
Waiver Max Class Size 24 27 27 27 34 34 34 34
District Class Size Avg 19 22 22 22 25 25 25 26
Grade Level
Rank Grade Region K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 AVG K-5
1 Wadsworth Magnet 5 16 16 20 16.00
2 Toney ES 5 14 21 18 15 20 15 17.17
3 Meadowview ES 5 18 17 13 17 19 23 17.83
4 Briar Vista ES 2 16 17 18 17 22 18 18.00
5 Sagamore Hills ES 2 16 18 21 18 16 26 19.17
6 Rowland ES 5 18 19 18 21 21 20 19.50
7 Clifton ES 5 17 17 22 21 23 18 19.67
8 Smoke Rise ES 2 17 21 24 21 17 18 19.67
9 Chapel Hill ES 4 16 22 20 20 20 22 20.00
10 Kittridge Magnet 1 20 20 20 20.00
11 Cedar Grove ES 5 22 19 21 17 22 21 20.33
12 Evansdale ES 2 17 19 18 23 21 25 20.50
13 Rock Chapel ES 3 24 17 23 19 18 22 20.50
14 Columbia ES 5 18 21 19 19 19 29 20.83
15 Vanderlyn ES 1 17 24 19 23 21 21 20.83
16 Avondale ES 2 19 18 20 25 23 21 21.00
17 Midvale ES 2 19 18 20 25 20 24 21.00
18 Oak Grove ES 2 20 21 21 22 24 18 21.00
19 Shadow Rock ES 3 18 21 19 23 24 21 21.00
20 Mcnair Discovery ES 5 20 19 22 24 21 21 21.17
21 Bob Mathis ES 4 16 18 22 23 25 24 21.33
22 Brockett ES 2 20 21 24 20 18 25 21.33
23 Kelley Lake ES 5 18 19 20 18 30 23 21.33
24 Dresden ES 1 15 22 20 21 26 25 21.50
25 Laurel Ridge ES 2 18 22 20 25 21 23 21.50
26 Snapfinger ES 5 15 22 23 19 24 26 21.50
27 Stone Mountain ES 3 16 21 20 22 26 24 21.50
28 Ashford Park ES 1 23 20 23 22 22 20 21.67
29 Livsey ES 2 19 17 19 21 33 21 21.67
Rank Grade Reg K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 AVG K-5
30 Rainbow ES 4 24 24 22 19 23 18 21.67
31 Hambrick ES 3 17 21 22 19 26 26 21.83
32 Idlewood ES 2 16 25 23 19 23 25 21.83
33 Oakview ES 1 18 20 19 21 26 27 21.83
34 Robert Shaw ES 2 22 23 20 21 21 24 21.83
35 Allgood ES 3 19 23 24 21 23 23 22.17
36 Hawthorne ES 2 18 20 22 23 22 28 22.17
37 Kingsley ES 1 20 19 20 21 26 27 22.17
38 Briarlake ES 2 17 23 19 25 20 30 22.33
39 Dunaire ES 3 18 24 22 20 29 21 22.33
40 Jolly ES 3 18 21 26 21 23 25 22.33
41 DSA 2 20 23 22 22 25 23 26 25 22.50
42 Fernbank ES 2 23 22 20 21 24 25 22.50
43 Indian Creek ES 3 21 23 22 22 28 19 22.50
44 Chesnut ES 1 16 21 23 22 25 29 22.67
45 Henderson Mill ES 2 21 23 21 23 25 23 22.67
46 Rockbridge ES 3 18 21 21 24 25 27 22.67
47 Flat Shoals ES 4 18 22 26 21 23 27 22.83
48 Browns Mill ES 4 19 22 21 23 23 30 23.00
49 E.L. Miller ES 22 24 22 23 23 24 23.00
50 Redan ES 3 16 18 22 25 31 26 23.00
51 Fairington ES 4 20 23 23 24 27 22 23.17
52 Hightower ES 1 19 25 22 22 27 24 23.17
53 Stone Mill ES 3 17 25 25 20 27 25 23.17
54 Austin ES 1 20 24 23 22 25 26 23.33
55 Huntley Hills ES 1 19 21 20 26 28 26 23.33
56 E.L. Bouie ES 18 19 24 26 27 27 23.50
57 Woodridge ES 4 13 26 21 22 31 28 23.50
58 Mclendon ES 2 22 26 20 20 26 28 23.67
59 Montclair ES 1 21 24 19 24 26 28 23.67
Rank Grade Reg K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 AVG K-5
60 Murphey Candler ES 4 19 25 22 21 31 24 23.67
61 Princeton ES 3 19 24 24 21 25 29 23.67
62 Canby Lane ES 5 19 22 25 24 25 28 23.83
63 Cary Reynolds ES 1 20 20 23 24 30 28 24.17
64 Stoneview ES 4 20 24 24 24 28 26 24.33
65 N. Harris ES 4 20 27 23 24 26 27 24.50
66 Pleasantdale ES 2 22 27 25 21 27 26 24.67
67 Marbut ES 4 25 24 20 24 29 27 24.83
68 Montgomery ES 1 18 24 22 26 32 27 24.83
69 Panola Way ES 4 22 25 23 23 29 28 25.00
70 Wynbrooke 3 24 26 24 23 25 29 25.17
71 Flat Rock ES 5 19 26 21 25 28 34 25.50
72 Dunwoody ES 1 23 25 26 27 27 26 25.67
73 Pine Ridge ES 3 20 23 26 24 28 34 25.83
74 Woodward ES 1 18 24 27 25 30 31 25.83
75 New Peachcrest ES 21 24 26 26 30 31 26.33
76 Oakcliff ES 5 24 21 25 27 29 32 26.33
Rank Grade Reg K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 AVG K-5
Legal Max Class Size 18 21 21 21 28 28 28 28
Waiver Max Class Size 24 27 27 27 34 34 34 34
District Class Size Avg 19 22 22 22 25 25 25 26

Related Posts

DeKalb Class Size Analysis
Middle Schools – 2017
May 2, 2017 – Over the last 4 years DeKalb Schools has added over 1,000 school house employees. Middle school class sizes have gone down and are generally below the state max. This analysis shows the reported average class size for each grade by DeKalb middle school.

DeKalb Class Size Analysis
Elementary Schools – 2017
May 1, 2017 – This analysis shows the reported average class size for each grade by elementary school. The average class size for the school (grades K-5) were ranked and ordered from smallest to largest.

Class Size Analysis – Elementary Schools
September 8, 2015 – This analysis shows the reported average class size for each grade by elementary school. The average class size for the school (grades K-5) were ranked and ordered from smallest to largest. Comment on this post and let me know if these class sizes are not accurate in your school.

16 Comments

Posted in Class Size, Waivers

65% and Class Size Waivers

Posted on August 27, 2015 by | 17 comments

“Classrooms First for Georgia” – Requires, at a minimum, 65% of a system’s total operating funds to be spent in the classroom.  The statute was enacted in FY2008 and DeKalb Schools has never been in compliance.
Georgia law (O.C.G.A § 20-2-182) limits class size.  For example, Kindergarten without a full time aide is limited to 18 students, grades 1-3 to 21, grades 4-5 to 28, and grades 6-8 to 28.  However, the State Board of Education has the authority to waive these limits and has done so for DeKalb for many years.

Dr. Kaveous Preston

Dr. Kaveous K. Preston is DeKalb Schools’ Director of Allotments Scheduling & Budgets, and Office of Federal Programs. In an earlier post, Dr. Preston explained How the District Funds the School House.
Today, Dr. Preston talks about DeKalb Schools Waivers.
Question: The 65% Rule waiver approved by the board in March 2015 was for the 2013-2014 school year. In June 2014, the board passed a Class Size Flexibility Resolution asking for class size waiver for the 2014-2015 school year. When can we expect these waivers to come before the board for the 2015-2016 school year?
Dr. Preston: [Class size waivers] is on the Board Agenda for September 14, 2015.
Question: Is it not true that the class size waiver for the 2015-2016 school year should have already been presented to the board and approved, as the budget is built on certain class size assumptions, and any deviation from state mandates on this issue must be approved in advance of the school year start date?
Dr. Preston: No, as the waiver being presented is the same as last year and the state requires it prior to the October FTE Count Day. The delay was caused due to the possibility of different district types (i.e. Charter, etc…) and how the class size waiver would be constructed.
Question:  Asking for the “65% budget” waiver is a waiver done in arrears and, in theory, is meant to reflect that an unusual circumstance or factor made it difficult or impossible for the district to comply with this state mandate. Given that tax revenues are quite healthy and have increased significantly, I see a potential problem gaining state approval of a waiver of this rule for the 2015-2016 school year.What are the districts plans regarding compliance with the “65% rule” going forward into future school years?
Dr. Preston: The State Board of Education has adopted rules indicating that systems that have submitted a letter of intent to file a charter system application may be considered for continued class size flexibility from state law in the 2015-2016 school year.
Question: Dr. Michael Bell is the school district’s Chief Financial Officer. Dr. Bell, what contingency is planned if the state does not approve the “65% rule” waiver for the current school year?

Dr. Kaveous Preston

Dr. Bell: As was noted above, the 65% waiver is requested and granted in arrears and is based on unusual circumstances or factors. The DCSD circumstance/factor was the drastic cuts made to class-room personnel/resources as a result of the Great Recession. Additionally if a school district improves by 2% (rounded per the State’s calculation) the request for the waiver is not necessary.
In the past three years the DCSD has budgeted $50 million +in areas that the expenditures of which will assist in getting to the 65% direct classroom expenditure level. The structure of the presently approved FY2016 Budget – if all budgeted funds are spent – would produce a 63.571% level. This would round to 64% and give the DCSD the 2% increment. Under GA law there are sanctions which can be applied by the State BoE such as requiring a local school system to “devise and implement a plan to meet the requirement” and the withholding of State funds under Rule 160-5-2-02.
The substantial changes we have made in our budgets over the last three years are moving us toward the 65%, but it will take time to finally get there.

17 Comments

Posted in Class Size, Waivers