Class Sizes to Grow, Despite State's $1.3 Billion Program
For years, the Oakland Unified School District spent millions of dollars to open small schools and hire more teachers, giving it some of the smallest class sizes in Alameda County. But that effort is slowly eroding as the state’s financial troubles deepen. The district’s average class size next year could jump to 30 students for every teacher, up from 23 this year, a 30-percent increase, according to figures provided by the district. “All of a sudden, students are having a lot less time with teachers,” said Crystal Brown, a spokeswoman for Educate Our State, a parent-led group dedicated to reforming the state’s public schools. “Even with 20 children in a classroom, it’s a really tough environment. There is no way that kids will get all their needs met.” Class