Our 4th grade classes had from 26 - 28 students this year. Fortunately, it was an overall good bunch of kids. Some are worried about the large classes with the group coming in next year. They, too, were like your son, coming from 17-19 in a room to over 25 next year. I have no idea what the cap is for our classrooms, I just know that it goes up for the higher grades.
I can't tell you what the state or district say buy our school, a K-5, average class size was 18 last year. The smallest was 13 and the largest was 23. I think the most any of my choldren have had in a class is 26 and this included an aide. More and more we are seeign teachers team teacher where they open the wall between 2 classrooms and teacher to classes as one. This allows them to use their assests and get help with their liabilities. I have had a good experience with one child in one of these classes but I know they are not for everyone. They do seem to make it easier on the teachers ro they wouldn't choose to do it.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
Most all of our 1st-6th classes have about 30 per class. In 1st grade each class also has an aide. Kindergarten is closer to 20 but that is because there is one more K class than in the other grades. My 1st grader had 31 in her class and my 3rd grader had 29.
I couldn't find minimum and maximums for each grade level, but here's what I did find.
Regular staffing ratio
Grades K-6 25.25 to 1
Grades 7-8 (core class average) 27.0 to 1
Grades 7-8 (noncore class average) 28.0 to 1
Average Class Size Limit
Kindergarten
• Maximum 28
• Minimum 17
Grades 1-6
• Average class size is less than 30 students
• Average class size is 16 students or more in first year
• Average class size increases to 17 students or more in second year
I know that last year my daughter's 5th grade class had 30 students in it, so I suspect the upper limit is 30 for the upper grades.
Our school district in Southern California has a limit of 20 in the lower grades (K-3) and 36 in the upper grades (4 - 6). The 20 student limit is state law. Our school is always full and we rarely have a class with less than 20. In the upper grades we usually don't have 36 but generally have around 30.
Of course our private school may be a bit different but these are our guidelines:
K3/K4- 10-12 students
K5- had about 12-13 students but will take up to about 16
1st-5th- it ranged this year from 11 in 4th grade up to about 16 in some classes. They will put 18 max in a class.
6th-8th about 20 max.
In a highly sought-after public magnet elementary here, they put about 18-20 in K5 and 1st and about 25-27 in 2nd-5th.
