Less Staff, Larger Class Sizes In Amherst Schools?

Schools have been forced to make tough decisions lately, but the ones that directly affect the students are the hardest to make.

The Amherst School Board’s proposed budget includes a decrease of 14.1 professional and support staff in schools, along with a class size increase from 20 to 22 students in grades 3-8.

These tough decisions were based on declining enrollment, which projects 98 fewer students next year. The state has also downshifted more healthcare and retirement costs to the local level, and is dialing back funding.

The biggest projected drop in enrollment lies in Amherst Middle School, with 71 fewer students expected. This means that the middle school is taking the biggest hit with a 9.9 decrease in professional and support staff included in the budget.

Some citizens are happy with these changes, but others, including the local teacher’s union, have spoken out against them.

Amherst Education Association president Larry Ballard has urged the school board to reconsider these changes. He said that the education and welfare of Amherst students needs to take top priority.

What do you think? Are the staffing cuts and class size increases a good idea in the face of declining enrollment and funding, or do these decisions need to be looked at once more? Maybe you think that further action is needed to manage spending in the school district.

Start a conversation in the comments below.