By Jim Levesque
Katy ISD's student body is continuing to grow. Even though the district has added more schools to meet the increase in enrollment, including two this year and six in the past three years, some class sizes in early 2014-15 are still larger than the state's maximum allowance.
The Nov. 4 bond referendum election is set to address the school district's growing pains. If approved, the bond will pay for the construction of six new schools. District records indicate that almost 20 elementary school classes began the year surpassing the state guideline of a 22-to-1 ratio of students per teacher.
At the school board's meeting Sept. 22, trustees voted to submit a class-size waiver to the Texas Education Agency to request a maximum class size exemption for 17 kindergarten through fourth-grade classes across nine campuses that exceed the state's guideline.
Those class sizes were based on early enrollment numbers for 2014–15.
"Growth, ultimately, is a good thing for the school district, but with a growth in enrollment, we need growth with our schools to keep up," said Bryan Michalsky, KISD board of trustees president.
Michalsky said trustees have filed class-size waivers "pretty much every year" despite the district's planning to meet the 22-to-1 ratio as the new school year begins.
In 2013, trustees voted to submit a class-size waiver to the TEA when 33 kindergarten through fourth-grade classes across 18 campuses exceeded the student-to-teacher ratio. That year, Schafer Elementary School had a district-high six classes that topped the state's guideline.
School district officials have predicted an enrollment increase of about 3,000 students each year spread fairly evenly across the elementary, junior high and high school levels. This year, district enrollment topped 70,000 for the first time and is expected to reach 80,000 by 2018.
The class-size waivers trustees voted to submit to the TEA in September pertained to the district's elementary schools. In all, nine schools had classes that exceeded the 22-to-1 ratio. Those waivers, if needed, must be filed every school year.
Morton Ranch Elementary School had five classes, including two kindergarten and two first-grade classes, which topped the state's guideline. But Morton Ranch Principal Deb Hubble said that number is down to only two first-grade classes, each exceeding the ratio by one student.
"With so many campuses and the tremendous amount of growth we've had, you plan as much as you can, but there's always little adjustments this time of year at many of the schools," Michalsky said. "Some of that will correct itself as the year goes on, but you have parents registering their kids after the school year begins, and that's going to change your classroom size."
Rylander Elementary School exceeded the state's ratio in three classes, all third-grade classrooms, and both Fielder and Rhoads elementary schools had two classes above the ratio. Katy, King, Mayde Creek, McRoberts and WoodCreek elementary schools each had one class exceeding the ratio.
Katy, King, McRoberts, Morton Ranch and Rhodes elementary schools were among the campuses that have filed for the exemption in consecutive years.
Michalsky said none of classrooms that topped the ratio presents an alarming challenge to the district, calling the numbers "pretty reasonable." He said, if needed, classes could be added to a grade level, but current enrolment numbers do not call for such a change.
"Of course, we'll do the best we can to comply [with the TEA guidelines] and manage it efficiently and effectively," Michalsky said. "And what matters most is that we still educate our students to the best of our ability, and we'll make sure we do that."
Growth in middle school enrollment
Kerri Finnesand, principal at WoodCreek Junior High School, has witnessed that growth firsthand. WoodCreek, the school district's largest junior high, began the school year with an enrollment of 1,910 students, and Finnesand said she expects 150–200 more students to enroll this year. She said officials already are planning a Y2K party when enrollment tops 2,000.
The WoodCreek campus has a capacity for 1,403 students and this year has 17 portable buildings housing 34 classrooms to deal with the overflow of students.
