BRSSD Class Size 25:1 TK-3rd Grade

Need the 25 student cap

Smaller class sizes are crucial for our youngest learners.

I understand the demands on our school district created by the changing demographics, but guaranteed max of 25 is an essential part of what makes our schools in Belmont great. Recent bond measure I and School Force donations are intended to uphold the 25 max class size.

While we all can agree that saving for a rainy day is a prudent act, it’s hard to defend the district's motives at a time when every day we hear that the financial markets keep setting new highs. The district has many investments it has purchased using the bond money we approved. That money was not put into savings accounts at a bank somewhere, but was instead invested on Wall Street with an anticipated rate of return to finance the specific projects the bonds were designed to fund. However, the rate of return on those investments were based on the current marked values at the time the bonds were sold, and the unexpected rise in the financial markets means the district’s investments have been paying higher returns than expected. This means the district has been earning money in excess of what it needs to service the bonds it sold. It seems greedy to want to cut costs, at the expense of our children, at a time when the district is garnering larger returns than it planned from its investments. This begs two questions: Why does the district feel it needs to cut costs, and what do they propose to do with the planed savings along with the larger than expected returns from its investments? If the answers offered imply increasing the district's Reserves as part of the rationale then an independent audit of the district's books should be demanded. As it has been a goal of the district's Chief Business Officer to increase the district's reserves despite the district being at the State legal limit, and there are ways to move reserves around to avoid the State's limits.

Smaller class sizes is so important to our kids and our community! Come on people!

If class size needs to extend beyond 25 due to increased number of children in the area, the teachers' contract should be reopened and amended to account for additional resources in that occurrence

Thank you!

I volunteer regularly in my child's Kindergarten class at Fox Elementary, and I think 25-1 is already stretching the limits for a good learning environment. I don't want to see class size increase.

I am in support of capping TK to 3rd grade classes at 25 students and would not want class sizes to exceed this. I want my child to have access to the teacher and resources and by allowing class size to increase beyond this threshold would be making it potentially harder for students to get some minimal level of attention and support.

Keep the current level at 25 or less.

Cap class size at 25!

For better education of our kids and better working life balance of the teachers

I don't agree that the classes be raised to 27 students, teachers have a difficult time with 25 students. It concerned parent

Our teachers are amazing in their ability to meet each student's individual needs. Please don't jeopardize this by increasing class sizes. Please honor the classroom cap at 25.

Class size reduction increases students' ability to master concepts. Please support what is best for our primary learners!

Please give our kids a quality education with care and attention.

Unbelievable that we're having to fight for 25:1. 25 students is FAR too many, particularly in TK and K. We need to bring back 20:1 ratios for TK and K! And absolutely NO MORE THAN 25:1 in higher grades.

Allowing the class size to continue to grow to beyond 25 children per class is unacceptable. It is hard enough for the teachers to control the classroom, and provide quality education for the number that they have. Increase the number of students and a quality education and positive experience for both student and teacher becomes nearly impossible.

Cap class sizes at 25:1 for TK thru 5th grades.

Please no more than 25 kids.