Schools

School Board to Vote on Increased Class Sizes

The proposed class size increases would affect students in kindergarten through eighth grade in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

The public is invited to attend an April 26 hearing about potential increased class sizes in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

The class size increases would affect students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade, said District Spokesperson Karen Parris, in a news release.

"The class-size penalty waivers are sought to help the district protect the instructional integrity of their educational program in light of the current statewide budget crisis and the reduced revenue received by the district," Parris said, noting the district with district teachers that allows for the increase in class sizes.

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For kindergarten, the waiver seeks to increase the district-wide average of students per full time teacher from the current 31 to 33 with no class exceeding 33, Parris said.

In grades first through third, the waiver would increase the district-wide average of students per full time teacher from the current 30 to 32 with no class exceeding 32, Parris said.

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For grades fourth through eighth, the waiver would result in a district-wide average of students per full time teacher from the current 29.9 to 35 students, she said.

The hearing will take place as part of a at 7 p.m. April 26 at the District Support Center, 41870 McAlby Court.

Following the hearing, trustees will vote on the district’s proposal to seek the waiver from the California Department of Education.

"Education Code 41376 and 41378 places restrictions on maximum class sizes in grades K through 8," Parris said. "The penalty for exceeding Education Code limits on class sizes results in a loss of all revenue limit funding for each student over the limit."

The requested waiver would forego those penalties, and would run from July 1 through June 30, 2014. In 2010, the district received a waiver to increase class sizes for the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years.


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