Classroom sizes will always be a slippery slope. Through various federal programs and collective bargaining with the teacher's union, Medford classrooms are for the most part well balanced. As documented in the recent DOE report Medford Public Schools classrooms were appropriate and controls and procedures regarding this were acceptable. Yet, it is imperative that you look at the whole child concept and the particular core curriculum subject when determining student population for education and support services. As inclusion becomes more intuitive, teachers at the elementary levels are going to require additional classroom support. Internships with neighboring colleges such as Tufts, Emerson, and elsewhere has provided resources and this opportunity should be expanding if there is a need for certain subjects. At private schools in the community, the enrollment for classrooms are much larger compared to our public school system. Central Administrations goal as well as the school committee's goal has always been to keep classroom sizes down and monitor this topic so there is a consistency across the grades and among different schools.
