Ohio County Schools Officials Discuss School Overcrowding
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WHEELING -- Triadelphia Middle School is "splitting at the seams" with students, and so are some elementary schools in Ohio County Schools, according to school officials.
Board of education members addressed the topic of school overcrowding during a work session Monday morning at the board office, and discussed how some "attendance lines" could be re-aligned. This could mean sending some students to different schools than they currently attend.
The board members were presented with enrollment information indicating that Triadelphia Middle School has an enrollment of 456 students -- placing it well above Bridge Street Middle School at 306 students; Warwood Middle School at 222; and Wheeling Middle School at 181.
The teacher to student ratio at Triadelphia also is considerably higher, as there is one teacher for every 28 students at the school.
At Warwood, the ratio is 1 to 22; at Bridge Street, 1 to 20; and at Wheeling, 1 to 18.
By West Virginia standards, the teacher-student ratios for the middle schools aren't incredibly high.
There is no cap on class size in the state, but "the optimal would be 25-28 students" per teacher, according to Raquel Welch McLeod, director of student services and curriculum for Ohio County Schools.
Elementary schools, meanwhile, are to have and enrollment not exceeding 25 students per teachers.
The highest ratio among elementary schools is at Elm Grove Elementary, where there are 319 students and a student-teacher ratio of one to 25.
Woodsdale Elementary has the most students at 413, and a student-teacher ratio of 1 to 23.
Warwood Elementary has 263 students and 22 students per teacher, with Ritchie Elementary having almost identical numbers.
At Steenrod Elementary there are 252 students, and a teacher-student ratio at 1 to 21. Middle Creek Elementary -- with 235 students -- comes in at a 20 to 1 ratio.
Bethlehem, Madison and West Liberty elementaries all have smaller populations, and student to teacher ratios not exceeding one teacher per 18 students.
Superintendent Kim Miller said attendance zones have remained in place as education in the classroom has changed. Today educators want students to be more participatory in discussion, and to work together while learning.
"We went from traditional rows (of desks) in a traditional setting to a collaborative setting where we want kids to engage with one another, but our ratios have not changed with the times. Now more than ever that is apparent," she said.
Miller said the school district could move toward having fewer students in a classroom, but that it would cost money.
A second solution would be to realign some school attendance zones.
Students attending Madison Elementary presently move on to Triadelphia Middle, though it would be closer for them to attend the less populous Wheeling Middle School.
In addition, Madison Elementary students partake in Title 1 learning programs made available to them because of the school's socio-economic status. Similar programs are not available at Triadelphia Middle School, but are at Wheeling Middle School.
It may seem like a clear-cut decision for the students, but it isn't, according to Miller. Families would be affected by changing school attendance lines.
Parents often coordinate before and after school care in their school communities, and siblings may be separated. Also, a family might have purchased real estate based on the neighborhood's school, she said.
Board members indicated they will further consider the topic of redrawing school lines at upcoming meetings.