Back a few years, at public meetings with the architects and WCCUSD folks, we were told that the School Board had instructed the planners to use minimum "classroom sizes" allowed by the state for classrooms of 32 to 34 students. Structures are put out to bid using projected cost on a per square foot basis. Smaller classrooms mean less expensive buildings.
Now there are more than 34 students in many classes. It's all about priorities.

Thank you, Alexia, for bringing this important issue into the public arena. Much class size debate revolves around keeping elementary class levels below 30, while secondary school classes AVERAGE 38 students per teacher. We do students a great disservice by subjecting them to these "learning" conditions. El Cerritans must develop a holistic view of schools, as every student matters. Engage in WCCUSD affairs and fight for all kids. Never has involvement mattered more.

Interesting. From reading this article, I thought WCCUSD was doing great. Now I understand why Windrush families are so reluctant to send their kids to WCCUSD schools.
http://elcerrito.patch.com/articles/school-district-cites-successes-in-annual-report

Windrush tuition is 230% of WCCUSD per student spending, including mandated bussing, school lunches, ... Apples to oranges.

As a former WCCUSD high school science teacher, I found the classes too large, and they have only increased in size since I left the teaching profession.

I was responsible for setting up, administering, and taking down, laboratory exercises for 36-38 students without assistance whatsoever.

I agree with Mr. Groves. Every student matters.

Academic class size is averaging 38, Physical Education classes, all over the district, are averaging over 60.

El Cerrito High School has only 76 lockers available to students in each locker room. 60 males in a locker room is a safety issue. Adolescents, in close quarters, semi naked, trying to get into their PE uniforms should be a great exercise in control of personal space. This repeats itself, six times.

With sixty students in the class we do not have a learning environment; we have an exercise in crowd control. It takes longer to do everything: roll, equipment, giving instruction.

PE teachers double their student contacts per year 180 to 360.

10 minutes dressing, 10 for roll, 10 to dress down, 20 to stretch equals 50 minutes. Where is the instruction time?

Three basket ball courts, 6 teams of 5, 30 students sitting on the sidelines
3 softball games with only one teacher to supervise, swinging bats.
60 students in a swimming pool is a pool party, rather than a swimming lesson.

Teachers have computers in their rooms. They must use district software provided to report attendance. Since PE teacher do not have this technology in the field, the must take attendance on their clipboards and duplicate this effort after class on their computer.

I feel the policy of allowing a ratio of sixty students to one teacher is a formula for liability issues as well as potential injury.

Roddy Lee
"Retired " Physical Education

Ms. Ramirez is to be commended for her excellent job in articulating her concerns regarding safety and instructional inefficiencies resulting from increased class size. She is a witness who has courageously come forward, seeking our help. Her concerns-observations are immediate as she sits in this classroom today. They require attention today.

Her observations should already be known and documented via school and-or district protocol, to be viewed at a later date by the accrediting body. There should be mechanisms for documenting what is occurring each and every day in each and every classroom that impact each and every child.

The safety issue is straight forward. The maximum occupancy of the room has already been determined by the safety codes enforced by the Fire Marshall. One might want to request from the WCCUSD district safety officer the safety audit procedure and audit records to determine if compliance with the fire code as ever been an issue.

Next, how do we document the resultant instructional inefficiencies. See next comment.

What are the indicators of compromised instruction resulting from the increased class size? Let's grab our quality paint brushes and paint a picture of quality. The goal is to see evidence of what Alexia is witnessing daily.

1. More noise=more interruptions. Is the school principal monitoring the amount of time it takes teachers to complete a unit or lesson and trends with respect to the number of referrals issued for disruptive conduct?

The teachers unions could play a very valuable role in maintaining such documentation and data. The nurses unions are doing just that, using the Assignment Despite Objections Form. They are clearly documenting situations that prevent them from doing the job they were trained-certified to do.

Example of ADO form
http://seiu616.localsonline.org/docUploads/ADO_form.pdf

2. Teachers, like all professionals, come to work and give 100% regardless of the number of students. Add more students and 100% effort will not be enough.

3. Are the complaints of parents being used as a tool to address quality concerns, as required per the Williams lawsuit settlement?
http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/ce/wc/noticeenglish.asp

4. Are teachers leaving the district or a particular school because they are placed in a position to fail? Is turnover documented? Do departing teachers complete an exit interview, submitting a copy to their union?

Thank you for speaking up, Alexia. You are helping us document quality!