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BOE to address student-teacher ratio
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Posted on May 13 1999
The Board of Education will tackle today the suspension of the 25 students to one teacher ratio policy for grades four to six this coming school year.
The Fiscal and Budget Committee yesterday carried out the proposal to suspend this class size and amended it to 30 students for each teacher in the intermediate level. But the suspension requires a full board approval.
Despite opposition to adopt this policy revision, Board chairman Esther Fleming, members Frances Diaz and Marja Lee Taitano, and other PSS officials carried out the recommendation yesterday.
Taitano said she opposed the entry of additional five students in grades four to six since these are the formation years for language and Math.
She also urged the PSS administration to ensure that all teachers are carrying full load since some instructors will be handling 30 students in a day.
Likewise, Fleming emphasized that the suspension is only temporary and schools with less student population will not be affected.
A recommendation was likewise heard on the floor, although it never became part of the adopted proposal, to provide a teacher aide for each class exceeding 30 students. It is not certain if the Board meeting today will consider maintaining a class with over 30 students.
Based on the data gathered from various schools, the upper grades have less teacher against student population, counting less than 25 students in each class. However, the lower grades are more crowded.
According to acting Associate Commissioner for Administration Louise Concepcion, the PSS would instead like to maintain a less crowded room in the lower grades.
“We would like to change that inverted pyramid and have smaller class size in grades one to three,” she said.
Researches have indicated that grades one to three are critical years for learning and students will need more attention from teachers.
