Question:  What is the class size limit?

Answer:  On page 38 of the contract under Article 7 deals with class size issues.  Class size limits are broken up into different sizes according to the grade level or school site you work at.  

7.1.1.1 "For the first semester each elementary school shall be assigned one (1) classroom teacher member of the Unit for every thirty-one (31) students.  ...based on the enrollment as of "the ten day count"...

"Each middle school shall be assigned one (1) teacher member of the Unit for every twenty-five (25) students enrolled as of the end of the first school month."

"ELD classes shall be assigned one (1) teacher member of the Unit for every twenty five (25) students enrolled as of the end of the first school month.

"Special Education students carried on a separate register shall not be included in this allocation"

What does that mean?  

Class Sizes are a bargained right even those with State mandated class size reduction which is limited to 20-1.

Question:  I teach Middle School and I have a lot more students than 25 to 1.  Why is that?

Answer:   Middle Schools take the number of students divided by the number of teachers to determine the 25-1 ratio.  

What does that mean?  

Middle schools use a period system which allows teachers to take more students per period.  This period system allows teachers prep time during the course of the day.  Under section 7.1.1.4 the school cannot determine the 25-1 ratio with the following Unit members:

Counselors, Resource Specialists, Special Education Teachers, Project Directors, Special Services Personnel, Itinerant Instructional Personnel, Teachers on Special Assignment and ELD Teachers (K-6)

Question:  I teacher 5th grade and I have 34 students in my class.  Is that right?

Answer:  CEA believes that class sizes should be smaller but under the current contract the district is allowed to have more than 31 students in a classroom.

What does this mean?  

Under the contract 7.1.1.6 if a 4-6 or 4-6 combo class reaches 34 students, you are entitled to one hour of instructional assistant time per day for your class.  If you have 35 students you are entitled to be given two hours of instructional aide time per day.  You must be sure to ask and use this time.  If you are not given the aide time please call your site rep or the CEA office at 257-2122.