Sunset Palms Elementary near Boynton Beach has more than 1,000 students. (Allen Eyeston/Palm Beach Post)
In a school district of more than 163,000 students in traditional district-run schools, Palm Beach County fell short of state class size requirements by approximately 126 students in 22 elementary schools when the state counted in October.
The schools:
Waters Edge, South Olive, Highland, Del Prado, Calusa, Hammock Pointe, Heritage, Elbridge Gale, Jupiter, Meadow Park, West Riviera, Whispering Pines, Lighthouse, South Grade, Pleasant City, Sunset Palms, Berkshire, Verde, Liberty Park, Limestone Creek, Beacon Cove, Crosspointe
You’ll note there are no middle or high schools on this list. All of the county’s middle and high schools have programs of “choice”, and because they are designated choice schools the district can average the class sizes in core subjects such as English, math and science rather than rigidly hold to a set number (22 in middle school, 25 in high school).
Some elementary schools are also considered choice schools.
The district has managed perfect compliance in some previous years – keeping elementary classes at 18 students or fewer up through third grade, 22 students in fourth and fifth grades.
But this year administrators deemed precise compliance too high compared to the cost of the penalty – which could be as low as $177,224 should the state accept the district’s plant to try to meet compliance rules next fall.
