WCPSS Responds to State Board on K-3 Waivers
On Friday, February 8, the Wake County Public School System responded to requests for additional information from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as part of their approval of 114 waivers of class size on January 10, 2008.
State law (G.S. 115C-301 and G.S. 115C-47.10) requires WCPSS and the Wake County Board of Education to ensure that average kindergarten through third grade class sizes shall not exceed one teacher to 21 students. Individual classes may not exceed those averages by more than three students. For example, the average kindergarten class size should be 21 students, and an individual kindergarten class should not be larger than 24 students.
As a result of enrollment growth, efforts to accommodate families' schedules at year-round schools, the provision of traditional calendar options, and in some cases limited options for facility expansion, WCPSS principals identified 114 kindergarten through third grade classes that exceeded the maximum class size on the 40th day of the school year. Under state law, schools may request waivers of the maximum class size from the State Board of Education.
The State Board of Education approved WCPSS's November 29 waiver request on January 10, while requesting a description of WCPSS's actions to notify parents in those 114 classes, the actions WCPSS has taken to address the impact of larger classes, and a corrective action plan for the 2008-09 school year. WCPSS responded that there is no provision in state law or board policy requiring formal notification in these circumstances; that schools were being granted the flexibility to respond to large class sizes; and that the 2008-09 student assignment plan accommodates more than 6,000 additional students while opening three new schools and taking into consideration the pending case before the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
Also on February 8, the State Board of Education notified WCPSS that an additional 26 waiver requests for kindergarten through third grade classes have been denied. The school board has 30 days to take action to improve the teacher to student ratio in those classes.
Among a school's options are providing additional teachers to large classes or reorganizing the classes. As of February 8, WCPSS has allocated more than $315,000 to provide additional teachers where specific needs were identified.
WCPSS principals and area superintendents will be working together to provide the best instructional environment for our students.
Documents
- DPI notification of 114 waivers approved and request for information (letter dated January 23, 2008)
- WCPSS response (letter dated February 8, 2008)
- DPI notification of 26 waivers denied (letter dated February 8, 2008)