Classroom overpopulation persists

It seems every recent policy change has its roots in the decrease in Blair's student population. The portables were removed because of the population drop. Teachers were placed on an involuntary transfer list because of the population drop. Despite appearances to the contrary, the number of Blazers filling the crowded halls has decreased. But as the administration seems to have overlooked, class sizes have not.

According to resource teachers, English class sizes are still hovering around the MCPS-recommended cap of 28 students. World History classes are running around 33 or 34. One Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus class is practically spilling over with 38 students, and an AP Statistics class was still short four desks the second week of school. While the completed phase-in of Northwood lowered student enrollment from 2,942 at the beginning of last year to 2,836 as of Sept. 4, the current number - which may continue to decrease as recounts factor in transfers and students who chose other schools in the Downcounty Consortium - still exceeds last year's projection of 2,736. But regardless of whether the overall numbers are interpreted as a noteworthy shift, they are clearly not significant enough to justify policy changes.

Staff cuts also seem to be affecting quality of instruction in the classroom. Last year, 10.4 staff members were transferred out of Blair to coincide with the expected drop in the student population. But some teachers feel that the staff cuts are not in line with the decrease in student enrollment. "Even though we have fewer teachers, it seems the population is not as small as projected," said English resource teacher Vickie Adamson.

With important goals to focus on this year, especially meeting federal standards for test scores under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the administration should refrain from celebrating the population drop and instead consider the fact that reduced class size, not school size, has been linked to higher performance on standardized tests. Smaller classes, particularly in at-risk schools, offer struggling students more individual attention and increase class participation, according to the American Federation of Teachers.

But at Blair, scheduling conflicts often make limiting class size difficult: Classes are only offered certain periods, and sometimes many students are crammed into the same classes to accommodate graduation requirements, explained Assistant Principal Myriam Rogers. Teacher cuts have compounded this problem. More sections of classes are needed to accommodate the teacher-student ratio.

The administration should allocate Blair's resources toward reducing class size. If hiring additional teachers is unfeasible, assigning two teachers to one class - a method that has been applied in inclusion classes - could help give students individual attention in large classes. By increasing attention to individual students, the administration can boost test scores and get Blair back on track with NCLB - giving the school a real cause for celebration.