Last year we created two committees – the LTA/LSD Class-Size Committee and the LTA/LSD Planning-Time Committee – comprised of teachers and administrators, to find a way to maintain our class sizes small even after the end of the QEIA program and to explore solutions for the long-standing problem of lack of planning time at the elementaries and lack of a planning period at LMS.  After meeting for almost six months, the committees have both reached their conclusions and made recommendations to the Superintendent and the School Board:

Recommendations of the LTA/LSD Class-Size Committee

After exploring several different models, and giving due consideration to the instructional, staffing and financial implications of each model, it is the unanimous recommendation of the LTA/LSD Class-Size Committee that the district establish the following grade-span-wide class-size average targets at each elementary school for the duration of the current Local Control Funding Formula program:

• TK-1^st Grade =       20:1
• 2^nd-3^rd Grade =       24:1
• 4^th-5^th Grade =       27:1

All parties recognize that implementation and continuation of the above model is contingent on continued LCFF funding at at least current levels, and that the class-size average targets above are all well below the class-size averages required by both LCFF and the LTA Collective Bargaining Agreement. They represent an effort to establish best practices and create an environment where every student can receive the individual attention he or she needs to flourish. They are, however, targets that the district will strive to achieve. Instances where the district is not able to achieve the targets do not represent a violation of LCFF unless the school-wide TK-3^rd grade-span average at a particular school exceeds 24:1 or of the LTA CBA unless the school-wide class-size average exceeds 29:1.

Additionally, and in consultation with the LTA/LSD Planning-Time Committee, the LTA/LSD Class-Size Committee unanimously recommends that Lennox Middle School (grades 6-8) return to the school-wide class-size average of 29:1 as described in the LTA CBA, with a lower class-size average – in the range of 22:1-24:1 – in intervention classes. While higher than the ideal QEIA class-sizes LMS has enjoyed for the last 8 years, 29:1 still compares favorably with other area middle schools. The Committee further recommends that the increased flexibility allowed by a school-wide class-size average of 29:1 at LMS be used to establish a daily self-directed planning period for all teachers at the middle school, allowing for more effective planning and collaboration with colleagues, deeper and more timely reflection on student work, and better communication with parents and school administrators about student needs and progress.

Recommendations of the LTA/LSD Planning-Time Committee

With respect to the needs of teachers for more planning time to better meet the needs of their students, after considering several different models and in consultation with the LTA/LSD Class-Size Committee, it is the unanimous recommendation of the LTA/LSD Planning-Time Committee that the district establish a daily self-directed planning period for all teachers at Lennox Middle School, allowing for more effective planning and collaboration with colleagues, deeper and more timely reflection on student work, and better communication with parents and school administrators about student needs and progress.

Additionally, the LTA/LSD Planning-Time Committee requests that the District-School Leadership Team consider modifying the district’s LCAP plan and reallocating approximately $75,000 to the elementary physical education program. This additional funding would allow the hiring of an additional .5 PE teacher and 2 .5 PE aides, and enable the elementary physical education program to expand from working with students once per week to twice per week. Rather than the 50 min/week students currently receive, they would benefit from 100 min/week of quality PE through the program, meaning that they would receive 100% of their federally required physical education instruction time taught by single-subject credentialed PE experts. Expanding the elementary physical education plan would also provide non-PE elementary teachers with 2 50-minutes blocks of planning and collaboration time each week, greatly increasing their ability to work with colleagues on engaging, rigorous Common-Core-aligned lessons, score and reflect on student work, and communicate with parents and school administrators.

 

Now the Superintendent and the School Board will consider these recommendations and, hopefully, act on them quickly so that teachers and schools can begin planning for next year.