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The Lansing Board of Education accepted the first reading of a class size policy that reaffirms a policy passed in 2005.  The policy instructs the Superintendent to consider options to reduce the student to teacher ratio when class sizes exceed 25 in grades 5-12, or 18 in K-4.  Superintendent Stephen Grimm said the policy will serve as a starting point when next year's budget discussions begin.

"That's a very important policy because as we move into this next budget round we talked about class sizes," he said.  "The next level is do we cut programs or increase class sizes.  If we need to do something we'll talk about changing this policy.  We want to readopt it now to serve as a base line for what was established in 2005.  Then when the budget season comes if we need to make a decision related to class size this board will have to change that policy."

Board member David Dittman said that the policy is too specific, setting thresholds that trigger specific actions.  He said budget considerations should determine class size, not the other way around.

"Our discussion from last year was that we want our budget process to be policy driven," he said.  "If you do that and this is our policy you set the class size and then you find the budget as opposed to finding the budget and then setting class size.  There's a driver going in one direction versus the other direction."

Board member Aziza Benson, who sits on the Policy Committee, said that board policies have to give direction to administrators.

"We do have to give some direction," she said.  "We don't want to give so much direction that it will drive budget policy.  But we do have to give the Superintendent and administration some guidance.  Just because this policy is in place now doesn't mean we can't change it if we need to."

Board President Anne Drake noted that the policy was developed to deal with classes fewer than ten students, which was not an efficient use of district resources.  She said it doesn't require the Superintendent to take action.  Rather, it requires him to consider taking action.

Dittman said he would be comfortable if 'may' replaced 'will' in statements outlining the Superintendent and principals' responses to circumstances that could raise class sizes.

Bensen said that is an acceptable change that she would bring back to the Policy Committee to consider before the board considers approving it next month.

Here is the text of the proposed policy that was considered Monday night: The Lansing Central School Board of Education believes that the individual needs of students can best be met in small groups.  The Board also recognizes that building space and financial constraints are realities that restrict the desire to have all classes be at optimal size. Optimal class size is defined as not exceeding the high teens in the elementary school and low 20s in the upper grades.  Upon request of the faculty and administration or whenever class size exceeds 18 in grades K-4 and 25 in the upper grades, the Superintendent will consider options to reduce the student to teacher ratio.  These options may include shifting students to other classes, adding another section, adding a paraprofessional, or other appropriate interventions.  This will be done in consultation with the building principal and the affected teachers. The Board also believes that regular education class sizes of less than ten students divert fiscal resources from other district needs.  When a regular education class size is 10 or fewer students, the Superintendent will examine options to address the needs of those students registered in the class.  These options may include maintaining the existing class, shifting students to other classes, combining classes, offering courses alternate years, using distance learning, including college courses on the Internet, or canceling the course.  Every attempt will be made to allow students who start a sequence to complete that sequence. The building principals will provide preliminary class sizes to the Superintendent during the course of preparing for the budget and for the start of school.  Enrollment and class size will be reported to the Board by the start of each school year.

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