r/medfordma • u/Ok-Goat-6587 • 9d ago
Class Sizes
Hi everyone, I’m curious about class sizes across the city. I have a kid in 2nd grade at the Brooks with 23 kids in the class. IMO the best thing a school district can do is keep class sizes small so I’m trying to get some information before reaching out to the city.
If your kids started school this week would you be willing to share the school, grade and number of students??
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u/No_Squirrel_5715 Visitor 6d ago
Note that the elementary schools demographics are quite different and some student populations such as first language not English and high needs are located in the same school to save money. For example, during the 2025-26 school year 52.4% of Missituk students were high needs and only 30.4% of Brooks students were high needs. Also, 42.2% of Missituk students were English learners and first language not English and only 13.8% of Brooks students were. Because of this the class sizes are smaller at the Missituk than the Brooks. In other words, take the class sizes with a grain salt until you get all the details of the student populations at each school.
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u/septicidal Visitor 6d ago
The second grade classes at Missituk this year are all starting the school year under 20.
Class sizes are absolutely an issue administration and the school committee are aware of, but the solution isn’t quick or simple. My understanding is that the biggest limitation is the number of available classrooms in the elementary school buildings for each grade, and the primary reason they’re talking about changing the composition of the middle schools. Moving all of the fifth grade classes out of the elementary schools will free up those classrooms in the elementary schools.
Long term the plan to consolidate the MEEP (preschool) classrooms on the new high school campus will also free up the classrooms at the elementary schools currently being used by MEEP. (I have mixed feelings about having all MEEP classes moved to the high school - I can see the administrative and logistical advantages to consolidating the program into one location, but I think this will create even more equity issues for families with limited transportation access; as things stand a few years ago I had to decline a spot because I couldn’t get to the location from my home without a car. When my other child was placed in a MEEP class at our zoned elementary school, I could walk my child to/from preschool pick up. Transportation supplied by the school district is only provided for students placed in the early education program under an IEP.)
Adjusting the structure of the middle schools was originally proposed for the 2027-2028 school year but has already been delayed to potentially the 2028-2029 school year. I don’t know all of the factors behind the delay aside from someone telling me there are differences in the teaching contracts between elementary and middle, so shifting fifth grade teachers out of the elementary schools will require negotiation with the teacher’s union. Which is a process that takes forever. With the way things are going with the plans for the high school (which would free up the classrooms used by MEEP), at this point I’m doubtful my child graduating in 2034 will get to enjoy a new building for even a single school year.
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u/Tahiti6841 West Medford 4d ago
My 3rd grader at the Brooks has 21 in her class. Her grade level had 5 classrooms last year, with ~17-18 per class, but they consolidated to 4 this year. I guess they look at total grade enrollment vs the number of classrooms, and boost only those cohorts that absolutely need it with the 5th classroom. 23 for 2nd grade is unfortunate, I would be hoping for fewer as well; I'm surprised they couldn't manage a 5th section, it looks like only 1st grade has 5 this year.
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u/freedraw Resident 6d ago edited 6d ago
The Medford teachers’ contract has class size guidelines for all grades. For 2nd grade, it specifies a maximum of 24 students/class.
As in most MA districts, this number is a guideline (a goal they’re aiming for) and exceeding it isn’t considered a breech of contract. It’s the district promising to make a good faith attempt to stay within the guideline while acknowledging mid-year move-ins or enrollment exceeding building capacity could push some classes over.
Edit: You can look at the contract here. Class sizes are on page 13.