Families at North Wales Elementary school, particularly the rising fifth grade parents, are extremely concerned at the proposed plan to reduce the number of classes and substantially increase the number of students in each classroom (28-29 per classroom) for the upcoming school year.

North Penn's current policy governing class size is outdated (last revisited in 2011); regularly challenged by families as subpar; incongruent with best practices in education; and untenable in a COVID-19 environment.

As a school district with a public commitment to "Dream Big. Achieve Greatness," we are confident the North Penn Board of Directors, superintendents, school leadership and administration would agree that 28-29 students per classroom will constrain these students' learning, emotional wellbeing and physical safety -- ultimately impacting their ability to live into North Penn's tagline itself.

We respectfully ask that this group of incredible children and dedicated North Penn families be split into three separate classrooms, no more than 25 students per class, as they have been since Kindergarten, to allow for optimal learning, in-class safety and teacher satisfaction.

Classroom Size in a COVID-19 Environment

The North Penn School Board and leadership acted adeptly to navigate the 2020-2021 school year. With much success at controlling in-school transmission of COVID-19 courtesy of a science-based, health-first safety plan, teachers delivered high quality education and all stakeholders were kept safe.

Now that teachers and older students are able to be vaccinated, we urge the district to consider an extension of the measures, in particular social distancing of desks, that kept everyone safe in-school this year, particularly for elementary schools. Classrooms brimming with nearly thirty unvaccinated children fly in the face of that commitment to safety. 

Moreover, teachers, families and school districts nationwide are extremely concerned about the long-ranging impacts in learning and emotional wellbeing among students due to the pandemic. Given that the 2021/2022 school year will likely start with children already behind in learning and emotionally/socially more delicate than normal, an overcrowded classroom pushed to the brink of North Penn's dated, pre-COVID class size limit sets no one up for success.

The North Wales Elementary rising fifth grade (current fourth grade) is composed of a diverse group of learners - notably with a much higher concentration of students with both IEP and GIEPs than other grades in the school. These students are legally required to receive additional support and accommodation that will be nearly impossible to achieve with only two classrooms next year. 

Research Supporting Smaller Class Size
As Alex Molnar of the University of Wisconsin stated, "There is no longer any argument about whether or not reducing class size in the primary grades increases student achievement. The evidence is quite clear: It does." 

Reducing class size is one of the few educational strategies shown to increase learning for all students, yielding a host of cognitive and non-cognitive benefits.

• The Institute of Education Sciences, the research arm of the US Department of Education, concludes that class size reduction is one of only four, evidence-based reforms that have been proven to increase student achievement through rigorous, randomized experiments -- the "gold standard" of research.
• The STAR experiment in Tennessee, as well as studies from Wisconsin and elsewhere, demonstrate that students who are assigned to smaller classes in the early grades do better in every way that can be measured: they score higher on tests, receive better grades, and exhibit improved attendance
• Those students whose performance improves when class sizes are reduced are those who need the most help: children from poor and minority backgrounds, who experience twice the gains as the average student. Estimates are that reducing class size in the early grades shrinks the achievement gap by about 38 percent. 
• In addition, smaller classes enhance the development of “non-cognitive” skills not captured by tests, like persistence, self-esteem and motivation, which are also linked to success in school and life.

Reducing Class Size Impacts Teacher Happiness & Retention

Given the current state of teacher and substitute shortages both in Pennsylvania and nationwide, teacher retention and happiness should remain a top priority for North Penn.

Reducing class size improves teacher morale, because less time is spent on discipline and classroom management, enabling teachers to focus more on learning and individualized instruction. Smaller classes also result in improved rates of teacher retention, according to research from California and elsewhere. 

Closing Statement

The district’s very core values are brought into question by this policy. 

Ask yourselves, does a classroom of 28 students demonstrate a focus on high expectations on learning and a people-centered approach. Is that cultivating an environment where students know they can succeed? Where faculty is confident they can meet the needs of every child? Where students and staff are equipped with a healthy environment in which they can continuously learn?  

We think not.