Pasco may move teachers to meet class size requirements (Land O' Lakes: condo, home)

[bentlebee]

LAND O' LAKES - The Pasco County School District is taking a different approach for meeting class size than its neighbor to the south.

School officials in Hillsborough County say that, if necessary, they will move students to other schools to comply with restrictions on how many students can be in a classroom for core academic classes, such as math or English.

In Pasco County, though, Superintendent Heather Fiorentino told the school board Tuesday that she doesn't intend to follow suit.

Pasco plans to move teachers from school to school, but not students, she said. The district has been working slowly toward meeting the restrictions in time for an official student head count in October, but Fiorentino said she is confident Pasco will get there.

"We plan on making class size," she said.

Voters approved the class-size amendment to the state constitution in 2002, but the restrictions have been phased in over the years. This is the first year schools must meet the requirements on a class-by-class basis.
Pasco may move teachers to meet class size requirements

I guess people who voted in favor didn't realize what they voted for....
In my kids class students randomly have been taken out of class and they need to take the class online due to other classes are also full...so students have to stay home which create another issue.

We are still kepping our fingers crossed that our child can stay in his AP class...they don't look at who is getting good grades but just one students get to be picked and your out...and waste a year or have to deal with online which can be good for certain subjects but not for all...

Kids are getting nervous because every time the class door opens a student can be thrown out of that class.

On top of that they are teachers who have the word "Union" in their mouth the entire time they are teaching..."The Union doesn't allow this, the Union doesn't allow that"...OMG...this is turning out to be worse and worse...

I wonder how other parents experience it and what their kids have told them about what is going on right now...

[ARAH]

I live in a different state but I just read on another forum that the class size in FL has been capped at 18. Is this true? For what grades?

[floridalooking]

Originally Posted by ARAH

I live in a different state but I just read on another forum that the class size in FL has been capped at 18. Is this true? For what grades?

I'm not sure what the cap is but my granddaughter is moving here next week. Her Mom (my daughter) called the school and was told she may wind up taking some classes online. That's in Pasco Co and I have 2 other older grandkids that live a few hours north and both have online classes and attend school.
I'm not sure what Florida is doing or how that's going to go. Then again, there are college classes adults can take online and it seems to do well so who knows.

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by ARAH

I live in a different state but I just read on another forum that the class size in FL has been capped at 18. Is this true? For what grades?

Class sizes are capped as follows: Prekindergarten through grade 3, 18 students; for grades 4 through 8, 22 students; and for grades 9 through 12, 25 students.

I work in an elementary school and can say without exception that this is a real blessing, both for teachers and students. I can remember when there could be nearly 30 students in a kindergarten class with one teacher and one aide.

RM

[bentlebee]

My kid had taken some online courses during the Summer breaks and it was a good experience but to have him kicked out of class (luckily so far didn't happen) and then taking the same class online, is not something that we look forward to since he is taking AP courses, etc.

I grew up in Europe where the school level was pretty high and I always was in classes with over 30 kids...and we never had a disadvantage...to and what I have experienced over here, is more that some kids are sleeping in class and/or not interested to learn anything. I once spoke with a parent about it after seeing his son sleeping in class after attending a parent day at school. The father stated "ohh, that is exactly how I was".

[MortonR]

I have worked at three elementary schools, one middle and one high school and have never seen a student sleeping in class. Granted, there are some kids at high school who would like to sleep, but the teachers I know and worked with would never allow that.

Sad that the parent condoned the behavior.

In some cases, the students come in poorly fed and not rested because of their home situation - this all comes back to parents looking to schools to "take care" of their children, rather than educate them. It makes our jobs that much harder, as it's pretty darned difficult to engage a student when they have a hard time staying awake...

RM