Portland Public Schools finishes staffing adjustments to decrease class sizes
A group of parents from Portland's Sabin School personally delivered letters to the district to advocate for lower class sizes. Portland Public Schools is currently adding some staff to over crowded schools. (Laura Frazier/The Oregonian)
Portland Public Schools has finalized staffing adjustments to decrease class sizes at some schools.
The district had the equivalent of 20 full-time positions to distribute to overcrowded schools this fall. Beaumont, Hosford and Mount Tabor middle schools were the last three schools to add a teacher, according to district spokesman Jon Isaacs.
Many schools received an additional teacher or classroom assistant if class sizes were above thresholds. The district reviews all kindergarten classes with at least 26 students, classes with more than 30 students for grades one to eight, and student loads of 180 or more for each high school teacher.
More than two-dozen schools received extra teachers or classroom assistants based on enrollment counts.
Some parents advocated for relief by raising concerns with district officials. A group of Sabin School parents organized a gathering at the district office after a first-grade classroom saw enrollment hit 32 students. Sabin School was allocated an additional teaching position to help with the first-grade class.
Woodstock Elementary parents also attended a board meeting Sept. 16 to ask for an additional kindergarten teacher. The school at first was allocated a classroom assistant, Portland Public Schools finishes staffing adjustments to decrease class sizes | OregonLive.com:
