ST. LOUIS BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY
INSTRUCTION
ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND SECONDARY
Instructional Arrangements
Class Size

The St. Louis Board of Education agrees with recognized professional associations such as the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the Council for Education Facility Planners International that class size and student-teacher ratio have a significant impact on the quality of education. Classes that are too large and a student-teacher ratio that is too great have a deleterious effect. Small class size and a low student-teacher ratio provide the greatest potential for learning.

The policy of the St. Louis Public Schools is to organize children for adequate and effective instruction in classrooms whose size will best bring teacher and student together in a situation most conducive to learning.

Class sizes shall be approved by the Board of Education and shall be reflective of those class size goals contained within the board approved long-range plan.

Policy adopted: June 26, 1990

Revised: December 07, 1999

R6151

ST. LOUIS BOARD OF EDUCATION REGUIATION

INSTRUCTION

ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND SECONDARY

Instructional Arrangements

Class Size

The Board of Education's intent is to design class size based on the Missouri School Improvement Program Standards and the Desegregation Settlement Agreement.. In planning for staff utilization the district shall seek to maintain the following class loads.

A. Regular classes

1. Pupil/teacher ratios shall be no higher than:
Preschool half day-10:1; all day-20:1
Kindergarten-2 25:1 average
Grades 3-4 27:1
Grades 5-6 30:1
Grades 7-12 33:1

2. By the year 2001-2002, the pupil/teacher ratio for grades K-2 shall be 20:1 and for grades 3-4 shall be 22:1.

3. It is recognized that there will be some variation in class size.

4. The division of planning shall be responsible for conducting studies and making recommendations concerning class size or student/teacher ratios.

Class Size (continued) R6151

5. The individual classroom enrollment may be increased by as many as ten (10) students in any period that a teacher assistant aids the classroom teacher full-time. A teacher with a half-time teacher assistant may be assigned as many as five (5) additional students.

B. Laboratory classes such as those in science, industrial arts, home economics, business education, and vocational-technical education should be determined according to safety requirements and the availability of equipment. Laboratory classes should not exceed twenty-five (25) students.

C. Classes for performing arts may enroll more than thirty (30) students if adequate supervision and facilities are provided. Full-time elementary art, music, physical education, and computer specialists shall serve no more than 750 students per week.

D. In the event of unusual circumstances, the above stated class sizes may be exceeded upon recommendation of the superintendent.

References

Legal: Missouri School Improvement Program Standard 2.1

Regulation approved: June 26, 1990

Revised: September 8, 1998

Revised: December 07, 1999