Issue being discussed:
The construction program( as a basis for the bond issue.)

Year-Round Schools Versus The bond issue.

The school administration tries to position these as competitive priorities. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The reality is that the impact of year-round schools will be felt beginning in the 2007-08 school year. Whatever the size of the bond issue new schools cannot be opened from this money until the 2008-09 school year.. So even with a massive bond year round will be necessary under the current ground rules.

Increasing Class Size.

Ron Margiotta and Horace Tart brought up the option of increasing average class size by a single student. this will open up about 6,000 new seats. The reaction was that the model the planners use was to have no adverse impact on education and that increasing average class size from 21 to 22 students would do this. Although they admit that classes may very from 10 to 24+ students. They express great concern that adding one more student to an already crowded class of 24 is not acceptable. By default they admit that classes of 24 students works. They did not consider the possibility of not adding any to the class of 24, but maybe adding 2-4 to the class of 18. We're talking about averages.

They also stated a waiver may be needed from the state to increase class size.So get the waiver!!

Consider the options:

• Massive bond Issues - possibly as much as $5 billion over the next few years.
• Mandatory year-round schools with no studies evaluating the impact on the educational process or the kids.
• Increasing average class size from 21 to 22.

This article was in the N&O on Wednesday 5/17/2006

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Sunday, May 14, 2006 to the News & Observer

Subject: Wake County Schools

Your interesting series of articles on Wake County Public Schools ignores one obvious option to massive bond issues and year-round schools.

There is an average of about 14 students for each of the more than 8,500 teachers in the school system. However, because of the way teachers are assigned class sizes in all the core subjects average between 20 and 22 students.

Increasing class size by just one single student will accommodate 5% growth, or almost 6,000 new students in the existing facilities without year-round schools. Better management of the budget can serve both the students and taxpayers.

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Sunday, April 30, 2006 to School Board Members, Wake County Board of Commissioners and the Wake county Taxpayers Board Members

Subject: School Construction Plans

The N&O has had an interesting series of articles on how other school districts have handled explosive growth. Clearly the N&O is subtly advocating a massive bond issue to support growth in Wake County.

However it seems the obvious short term solution is being overlooked.

WCPSS has an average of about 14 students for every teacher - not bad. If properly managed this should not lead to overworked teachers.

In addition WCPSS web site provides the following information -

Elementary & Middle Schools - Average Class Size
The average number of students enrolled in the class below at the time of testing.
Grade	K	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th
District	21	21	21	22	23	24	21	22	21
State	19	19	19	20	21	21	21	21	21

High Schools - Average Course Size
The average number of students enrolled in the class below at the time of testing.
Subject	English I	Algebra I	Algebra II	Geometry	Biology	Chemistry	Physical Science	Physics	ELPS	US History
District	19	19	23	21	20	23	16	19	---	---
State	19	19	22	21	20	20	19	16	---	---

If a 5% growth were absorbed into the existing classes, on average it would mean about one more student per class without building a single additional classroom. Surely the WCPSS administration could manage the teacher work load of the more than 8,500 teachers to avoid overworking and still increase the class size by a single student.

Of course such a drastic change would mean the administration would have to think and plan in a new dimension

In prehistoric times when I went to school in Chicago through the 12 years of elementary and high school I never had a single class of fewer than 30 students. I believe I got a great education. I'm sure you all have similar recollections. Surely our schools can do better.