What are The Class Size and Ratio Limits for Teaching Classes in Virginia?
Full Question:
Answer:
The answer will depend on all the facts and circumstances involved, such as whether there is a union contract. Please see the following VA statutes to determine applicability:
§ 22.1-253.13:2. Standard 2. Instructional, administrative, and support
personnel. —
A. The Board shall establish requirements for the licensing of
teachers, principals, superintendents, and other professional personnel.
B. School boards shall employ licensed instructional personnel
qualified in the relevant subject areas.
C. Each school board shall assign licensed instructional personnel in a
manner that produces divisionwide ratios of students in average daily
membership to full-time equivalent teaching positions, excluding special
education teachers, principals, assistant principals, counselors, and
librarians, that are not greater than the following ratios: (i) 24 to one
in kindergarten with no class being larger than 29 students; if the
average daily membership in any kindergarten class exceeds 24 pupils, a
full-time teacher's aide shall be assigned to the class; (ii) 24 to one
in grades one, two, and three with no class being larger than 30
students; (iii) 25 to one in grades four through six with no class being
larger than 35 students; and (iv) 24 to one in English classes in grades
six through 12.
Within its regulations governing special education programs, the Board
shall seek to set pupil/teacher ratios for pupils with mental retardation
that do not exceed the pupil/teacher ratios for self-contained classes
for pupils with specific learning disabilities.
Further, school boards shall assign instructional personnel in a manner
that produces schoolwide ratios of students in average daily memberships
to full-time equivalent teaching positions of 21 to one in middle schools
and high schools. School divisions shall provide all middle and high
school teachers with one planning period per day or the equivalent,
unencumbered of any teaching or supervisory duties.
D. Each local school board shall employ with state and local basic,
special education, gifted, and career and technical education funds a
minimum number of licensed, full-time equivalent instructional personnel
for each 1, 000 students in average daily membership (ADM) as set forth
in the appropriation act. Calculations of kindergarten positions shall be
based on full-day kindergarten programs. Beginning with the March 31
report of average daily membership, those school divisions offering
half-day kindergarten with pupil/teacher ratios that exceed 30 to one
shall adjust their average daily membership for kindergarten to reflect
85 percent of the total kindergarten average daily memberships, as
provided in the appropriation act.
E. In addition to the positions supported by basic aid and in support
of regular school year programs of prevention, intervention, and
remediation, state funding, pursuant to the appropriation act, shall be
provided to fund certain full-time equivalent instructional positions for
each 1,000 students in grades K through 12 who are identified as needing
prevention, intervention, and remediation services. State funding for
prevention, intervention, and remediation programs provided pursuant to
this subsection and the appropriation act may be used to support programs
for educationally at-risk students as identified by the local school
boards.
F. In addition to the positions supported by basic aid and those in
support of regular school year programs of prevention, intervention, and
remediation, state funding, pursuant to the appropriation act, shall be
provided to support 17 full-time equivalent instructional positions for
each 1,000 students identified as having limited English proficiency.
G. In addition to the full-time equivalent positions required elsewhere
in this section, each local school board shall employ the following
reading specialists in elementary schools, one full-time in each
elementary school at the discretion of the local school board.
H. Each local school board shall employ, at a minimum, the following
full-time equivalent positions for any school that reports fall
membership, according to the type of school and student enrollment:
1. Principals in elementary schools, one half-time to 299 students, one
full-time at 300 students; principals in middle schools, one full-time,
to be employed on a 12-month basis; principals in high schools, one
full-time, to be employed on a 12-month basis;
2. Assistant principals in elementary schools, one half-time at 600
students, one full-time at 900 students; assistant principals in middle
schools, one full-time for each 600 students; assistant principals in
high schools, one full-time for each 600 students;
3. Librarians in elementary schools, one part-time to 299 students, one
full-time at 300 students; librarians in middle schools, one-half time to
299 students, one full-time at 300 students, two full-time at 1,000
students; librarians in high schools, one half-time to 299 students, one
full-time at 300 students, two full-time at 1,000 students;
4. Guidance counselors in elementary schools, one hour per day per 100
students, one full-time at 500 students, one hour per day additional time
per 100 students or major fraction thereof; guidance counselors in middle
schools, one period per 80 students, one full-time at 400 students, one
additional period per 80 students or major fraction thereof; guidance
counselors in high schools, one period per 70 students, one full-time
at 350 students, one additional period per 70 students or major fraction
thereof; and
5. Clerical personnel in elementary schools, part-time to 299
students, one full-time at 300 students; clerical personnel in middle
schools, one full-time and one additional full-time for each 600 students
beyond 200 students and one full-time for the library at 750 students;
clerical personnel in high schools, one full-time and one additional
full-time for each 600 students beyond 200 students and one full-time for
the library at 750 students.
I. Local school boards shall employ five full-time equivalent positions
per 1,000 students in grades kindergarten through five to serve as
elementary resource teachers in art, music, and physical education.
J. Local school boards shall employ two full-time equivalent positions
per 1,000 students in grades kindergarten through 12, one to provide
technology support and one to serve as an instructional technology
resource teacher.
K. Local school boards may employ additional positions that exceed
these minimal staffing requirements. These additional positions may
include, but are not limited to, those funded through the state's
incentive and categorical programs as set forth in the appropriation
act.
L. A combined school, such as kindergarten through 12, shall meet at
all grade levels the staffing requirements for the highest grade level in
that school; this requirement shall apply to all staff, except for
guidance counselors, and shall be based on the school's total
enrollment; guidance counselor staff requirements shall, however, be
based on the enrollment at the various school organization levels, i.e.,
elementary, middle, or high school. The Board of Education may grant
waivers from these staffing levels upon request from local school boards
seeking to implement experimental or innovative programs that are not
consistent with these staffing levels.
M. School boards shall, however, annually, on or before January 1,
report to the public the actual pupil/teacher ratios in elementary school
classrooms by school for the current school year. Such actual ratios
shall include only the teachers who teach the grade and class on a
full-time basis and shall exclude resource personnel. School boards shall
report pupil/teacher ratios that include resource teachers in the same
annual report. Any classes funded through the voluntary kindergarten
through third grade class size reduction program shall be identified as
such classes. Any classes having waivers to exceed the requirements of
this subsection shall also be identified. Schools shall be identified;
however, the data shall be compiled in a manner to ensure the
confidentiality of all teacher and pupil identities.
N. Students enrolled in a public school on a less than full-time basis
shall be counted in ADM in the relevant school division. Students who are
either (i) enrolled in a nonpublic school or (ii) receiving home
instruction pursuant to § 22.1-254.1, and who are enrolled in public
school on a less than full-time basis in any mathematics, science,
English, history, social science, career and technical education, fine
arts, foreign language, or health education or physical education course
shall be counted in the ADM in the relevant school division on a pro rata
basis as provided in the appropriation act. Each such course enrollment
by such students shall be counted as 0.25 in the ADM; however, no such
nonpublic or home school student shall be counted as more than one-half a
student for purposes of such pro rata calculation. Such calculation shall
not include enrollments of such students in any other public school
courses.
O. Each local school board shall provide those support services that
are necessary for the efficient and cost-effective operation and
maintenance of its public schools.
For the purposes of this title, unless the context otherwise requires,
"support services" shall include services provided by the school board
members; the superintendent; assistant superintendents; student services
(including guidance counselors, social workers, and homebound,
improvement, principal's office, and library-media positions); attendance
and health positions; administrative, technical, and clerical positions;
operation and maintenance positions; educational technology positions;
school nurses; and pupil transportation positions.
Pursuant to the appropriation act, support services shall be funded
from basic school aid on the basis of prevailing statewide costs.
