Elementary class sizes increasing
By JENNIFER KELLEY
Cherry Hill Sun
5/16/2007

Parents of Mann, Knight and Stockton fifth-graders worried about impact

The passage of the Cherry Hill Public Schools district budget came as a relief to administrators and Board of Education members. But the worries are just beginning for a group of local parents – specifically, parents of soon-to-be fifth graders at Horace Mann, Knight and Stockton elementary schools.

The budget – which survived months of open discussions and a public hearing intact – called for the elimination of three fifth-grade teachers. The impact of the loss was absorbed by a pre-budget decision to raise class-size maximum by one student in fifth grade, from 24 to 25 students. In most district schools, fourth-grade classes already hover between 21 and 25, said Public Information Officer Susan Bastnagel. But at Horace Mann, Knight and Stockton, the current fourth-grade class averages about 18 students in each of its four classrooms.

“My kids have never even had close to that number of maximum kids in their classes at Stockton – they’re used to a low class size,” said parent and PTA member Jodi Levine, who has a child in a 17-student fourth-grade class at the school. “They’re asking our kids to be thrust into a classroom with significantly more kids next year with no preparation.”

The discussion over class size maximums was “very much out in the open prior to the budget hearing – on Web sites, in online agendas, on Channel 19 (which broadcasts BOE meetings) and in our newsletter,” Bastnagel said, “and with a proposal for an increase in the class maximum, there was the potential for having 25 kids in the class.”

Presently, the district is calling for two fifth-grade classes of 25 and a class of 24 at Stockton Elementary School.

“This will be the first change in class sizes in years, and there was a lot of debate amongst board members in addition to research obtained on the value of small class sizes,” she added, noting that while such research supported the benefits of small class sizes (ideally 18) in primary grades, it was inconclusive for fifth-grade students.

“Obviously, smaller class sizes are ideal,” Bastnagel said. “But even at 25, our classes are pretty enviable when compared with other area school districts.”

She also noted that a change in the board’s allocation of funds has to be “budget neutral” – in other words, the nearly $200,000 it would cost to retain three fifth-grade teachers and maintain the current class sizes would have to be made up by cutting it from somewhere else in the budget.

But the board never really discussed the impact that the teacher cuts and increased class sizes would have on certain schools, according to Ari Goldberg, a Stockton parent.

“They said they would be increasing the class sizes by one student, but they never mentioned that only a select number of schools would suffer the impact next year – that’s why I felt as though I was not fully informed on the issue when I found out that my child’s class would increase immensely – not by one but by seven students,” he said, noting that he voted for the budget and encouraged others to do so as well.

Goldberg and Levine are part of a loose coalition of parents that are imploring the BOE to hold another vote on increasing class sizes. They contend that the original vote – held on March 27 – was incomplete, as two board members were absent from the proceedings.

The March vote on fifth-grade class sizes resulted in a four to three decision in favor of the increase, “but with two members – who have advocated for small class sizes – absent from that vote, we feel shortchanged,” Goldberger said. “We want a thumbs up/thumbs down vote by the entire board. I think the majority of its members support small class sizes.”

“If we lose, we lose; but we want a full, fair board vote on this,” Levine said. “If the majority is still in favor of the increase and cutting teachers, I’ll accept that, but I don’t want to look at my child and say, ‘I didn’t fight for you.’”

BOE President Anne Einhorn said that board votes are conducted during monthly action meetings. “We expect all board members to be there, and it was unfortunate that not everyone was present for that particular vote.”

After listening to parents at the board’s May 1 meeting, Superintendent David Campbell said the chair of the group’s Policy Committee has agreed to put the issue on the June policy agenda. While uncommon, it’s possible that the board could reconsider the issue, Bastnagel said.

Einhorn noted that the BOE’s legal council is currently investigating the protocol of such a move.

“This injustice affects 25 percent of the school district’s fifth graders,” said parent Jenn Bojer, who has a child in Horace Mann’s fourth-grade class. “These students should not be shortchanged over a monetary issue – we’re talking something like $171,000 out of a $63 million budget. The board has been gracious so far in listening to us, and I’m really hoping this can be resolved.”

Parents told The Sun they are hoping that the item can be addressed at a meeting sooner than June.

“If it’s on the June policy agenda, it’s not likely to get voted on until the June 26 action meeting – and that’s after the end of the school year,” Goldberger said. “We don’t think that allows adequate time for next year’s class assignments. The kids usually know who their new teacher will be before they leave for the summer.”

The group is encouraging fellow parents to attend the board’s May 22 action meeting, to be held, coincidently, at Stockton. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.

For more information on the board’s decision to increase the class size in grade 5, visit the district’s Web site at www.cherryhill.k12.nj.us.