Class Size Regulations and Plainfield Public Schools

The following information, the district's own enrollment numbers for September and October,  obtained via OPRA, is posted here for your own information.   At the December 20th, 2011 school board meeting a parent from Evergreen, Ari, spoke about the needs at the Kindergartner level, district-wide. The taped meeting can be seen at the Plainfield local TV channel, see schedule HERE.

Ari spoke on Kindergartner classrooms not having the teacher assistants that teachers and students were regulated to have under Public Law 207, c.260.   She also mentioned information being available at the NJDOE's Early Childhood section at the recently released NJ Kindergartner Implementation Guideline (page 38).

At the last meeting, the one on January 17th, superintendent Belin-Pyles said the community concerns on K teacher assistants were listened to and that there was a plan.  But no specifics were given.  It would be nice, and professional, if the district makes its plan available at the district's website.  Just a suggestion.

The one other concern that was raised that night was about class size.  For Kindergartners this is also regulated. Districts with a high concentration of high-risk students (this is based on free and reduced meals among other things) are to have classrooms of no more than 21 students. 

But there are also class size guidelines for all other grades at Title 6A, Chapter 13  for districts that have more than 40% concentration of students at risk.  Plainfield public schools have more than 40% of students at risk and thus we seem to fit into the class size guidelines set by Title 6/Chapter 13.  My understanding of Title 6A/Chapter 13 might be wrong so corrections are welcome.

First what Title 6A/Chapter 13 says on page 8 about class size:

b) Class size in school districts in which 40 percent or more of the students are “at–risk” as defined in P.L. 2007, c. 260 shall not exceed 21 students in grades kindergarten through three, 23 in grades four and five and 24 students in grades six through 12; provided that if the district chooses to maintain lower class sizes in grades kindergarten through three, class sizes in grades four and five may equal but not exceed 25. Exceptions to these class sizes are permitted for some physical education and performing arts classes, where appropriate.

Now the Plainfield school district's October enrollment  that shows which schools are not following the above guidelines as per Title 6A/Chapter 13.  Administrators and teachers, via anonymous, are encouraged to enlighten us on this topic.

Barlow 
Kindergartner - Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count.  One had 26, the other 27.
1st Grade - Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count.  Both have 25 students each.

Cedarbrook
Kindergartner - Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count.  One had 26, the other 26.
3rd Grade - Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count.  One has 25, the other 24.

Clinton
Kindergartner - Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count. One had 24, the other 22.
2nd Grade - One (1) classrooms above the 21 student count. It has 22.
5th Grade - One (1) classrooms above the 23 student count. It has 24.
8th Grade - One (1) classrooms above the 24 student count. It has 25.

Emerson
Kindergartner - Three (3) classrooms above the 21 student count. One had 24, the other 26 and the last one, 31 students.
1st Grade - Three (3) classrooms above the 21 student count. Two have 22, one has 24 students.
2nd Grade -Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count. One has 24, the other 23 students.
3rd Grade - Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count. Both classrooms have 28 students each.
4th Grade -Two (2) classrooms above the 23 student count. Both classrooms have 26 students each.

Evergreen
Kindergartner -Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count. One has 23, the other 26.
1st Grade -Three (3) classrooms above the 21 student count. One has 23, the other two, 24 students each.
2nd Grade -Three (3) classrooms above the 21 student count.  Two have 23 students each, the last one, 26.
3rd Grade -Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count. One has 24, the other, 29 students.
4th Grade -Two (2) classrooms above the 23 student count. One has 24, the other has 29 students.

Jefferson
Kindergartner -Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count. One has 23, the other 29.
1st Grade -One (1) classroom above the 21 student count.  It has 26 students.
4th Grade -One (1) classrooms above the 23 student count. It has 25.

Stillman
Kindergartner -Three (3) classrooms above the 21 student count. One has 22, the other 27 and the last one, 28 students.
1st Grade -One (1) classrooms above the 21 student count. It has 26.
2nd Grade -One (1) classrooms above the 21 student count. It has 22.

Washington
Kindergartner - Four (4) classrooms above the 21 student count. One has 26, the others, 27, 30 and 33 students each.
2nd Grade -Two (2) classrooms above the 21 student count. The both have 22 students each.