File: IIB – Guidelines for Class Size & Student:Teacher Ratios
The M.S.A.D. No. 75 Board of Directors recognizes that greater direct teacher contact with students contributes to the educational growth of those students. The Board seeks to balance class size with its ability to finance a higher level of instructional expenditures; therefore the following guidelines are to be applied for typical student:teacher classroom ratios. It should be noted that there will be times when deviation from or adjustment to these ratios may be necessary due to extenuating circumstances.
The Superintendent will provide the Board with data on class sizes and district-wide enrollment no later than November of each year.
The Superintendent of Schools and Board of Directors will review a projection of all incoming enrollments by May 1 of each year.
| GRADE | OPTIMUM RATIO | MINIMUM RATIO (AVERAGE) |
MAXIMUM RATIO (AVERAGE) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 16:2 | 8:1 | 16:2 |
| Kindergarten | 16:1 | 14:1 | 18:1 |
| Grades 1 - 3 | 18:1 | 14:1 | 20:1 |
| Grades 4 - 5 | 22:1 | 18:1 | 25:1 |
| Grades 6 - 8* | 22:1 | 16:1 | 25:1 |
| Grades 9 - 12* | 22:1 | 16:1 | 25:1 |
*A minimum of ten (10) students is to be enrolled in one (1) single class or course.
NOTE: Pre-K requires a maximum ratio of one (1) adult to eight (8) students, with a maximum class size of 16 provided there is one (1) adult certified teacher and one (1) adult paraprofessional present.
NOTE: Paraprofessional staff who work directly with the instructional program shall be considered as .5 for the purposes of calculating student:teacher ratio, except in the case of Pre-K classrooms as described above.
NOTE: Special Education classrooms will be staffed in accordance with State standards and needs as determined by the I.E.P.
NOTE: No single classroom will have a higher student:teacher ratio than is allowable by Maine state law.
LEGAL REFERENCE:
- 20-A MRSA § 4502
ADOPTION: April 11, 1991 (as IHB-R)
REVISION, FIRST READING: December 11, 2003 (as IHB-R)
REVISION, SECOND READING: March 24, 2004 (as IHB-R)
REVISION, ADOPTION: March 24, 2004 (as IHB-R)
REVISION, FIRST READING: January 23, 2025
REVISION, SECOND READING: February 27, 2025
REVISION, ADOPTION: February 27, 2025