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The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

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Class sizes grow amid funding dip

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This year total Paly enrollment has reached 1833 students. This Astornomy class like most others is at maximum capacity. – Marc HavlikStudents and teachers are feeling squeezed at the start of school by increasing class sizes amid budget cuts by the district, Palo Alto High School administrators said.

The total enrollment at Paly is 1833 students, putting Paly 33 students above Palo Alto Unified School District projections from December of last year and 24 students above last year’s total enrollment, Assistant Principal Kimberly Diorio said in an interview last Thursday. As a result, Paly is slightly understaffed.

“I would say that our enrollment is a little higher than projected,” Diorio said, “[A] little more than they [PAUSD] staffed us at.”

The current average student to teacher ratio is 28.5-to-1, according to Diorio. Still, some classes are over their maximum capacity, a number which varies base on the availability of facilities.

Spanish 3 Honors, or Spanish 3H as it is commonly known, is particularly crowded, with 38 students enrolled in 2nd period. Junior Maxwell Siegelman feels that the enormous class size creates an unfavorable atmosphere.

“Well, it’s a little weird; it’s kind of impersonal,” Siegelman said. “It feels like a college lecture hall.”

Siegelman acknowledges the negative effects on the Spanish learning process as result of the huge class.

“I can see problems arising,” Siegelman said. “Participation is a big part of learning in Spanish, and it’s going to be really hard to get everybody to participate.”

Spanish 3H is not the only class to be overenrolled. French 3, Japanese 3, and BC Calculus AP each have over 37 students registered in a single period. However, Diorio argues that, although they could open new periods for certain classes with high numbers of students and divide the students between the periods, it is not the right decision.

“One of the reasons we are not opening a second class is that students drop down,” Diorio said. “They say, ’The pace isn’t right for me.’ We’re hoping that’s going to happen.”

Siegelman’s experiences in Spanish 3H validate Diorio’s hope, as already two students have dropped the course. Even still, Siegelman thinks his Spanish 3H class will still be too big.

“Forty students is obviously huge, but 38 students is still a giant class,” Siegelman said.

The Paly administration has tried to put a limit on the number of students allowed in each class.

“[The student cap] differs from class to class, it depends on facility and grade level,” Diorio said. “As a general rule, we try not to go above 35; in freshman English, 30; in science, 32. We’ve got a couple classes above 32.”

Furthermore, facility limitations often lower the possible students allowed in a class.

“Classes that need computers change, those caps might be less,” Diorio said. “For Beginning Journalism classes, we try to be at 32 because there are only 32 computers in the lab, but [the students] can use laptops in the meantime. There are facility limitations for P.E. We usually have to set up for games so we’re impacted for 7th [period] P.E.”

Although some classes are full or over capacity, other classes have far fewer students. Chinese 5AP, Japanese AP, Computer Applications and Integrated Science all have periods with fewer than 18 students. Auto and Foods also have low numbers of students, Diorio said.

In addition to the increased number of students, more students at Paly, education funds for the school have declined, according to Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson. The school will now receive $35 less per student enrolled.

“On the 11th day of school, the district takes the total numbers and, off of that, money is allocated,” Berkson said. “Money on the 11th is final.”

Despite a lack of funds, Berkson said that Paly teachers and parents are making up for lost money.

“There has been no effect yet,” Berkson said. “Department supervisors are aware of it [the cuts]. I’m sure they are a little more frugal. At the same time, Palo Alto Partners in Education donations are up which will offset some of the losses.”

As for the increase in students, the administration has had to acquire additional materials, but does not know if more classes will be added.

“We’ve had to order more desks,” Diorio said. “By Sept. 1 if we’re going to add any classes, we’ll know.”

Diorio also offered some advice for students stuck in crammed classes.

“Just wait. It’s really a wait and see,” Diorio said. “The number at the end is much smaller than at the beginning. Make the best of the situation. We’re all in it together. Unfortunately, it can never be perfect for every student.”

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