Horry County Board of Education leaning toward keeping class sizes stable

After several weeks of debate and two separate motions, the Horry County Board of Education is leaning toward keeping class sizes stable.

Officials have been debating ways to come up with $3 million to pay for the Personalized Digital Learning Program, debt repayments and other district expenses.

The finance committee met last week to discuss an alternative way to save $3 million after the joint finance and human resources committee motioned in November to add two students to middle and high school classes over two years. The addition of one student would cut 41 teaching positions, which would save the district a little more than $3 million, according to John Gardner, chief financial officer.

The full board of education met Monday to discuss the two motions, and most board members indicated they’d want to keep classes as small as possible.

“I really believe that children at HCS are our most important resource and teachers are our most important asset,” said John Poston, district 8 member. “I wish we, as a board, would put a commitment behind protecting teachers and students in this district.”

The initial motion, presented by the joint finance and human resources committee, suggested adding two students per middle and high school classes over two years. The additional students would save the district about $3 million and cut 41 teaching positions, Gardner said.

“I support not enlarging class sizes, if at all possible,” said Holly Heniford, district 1 representative.

The district’s second motion includes using “current year” savings of $1.1 million from the rehabilitative behavioral health services program. Using a $1.2 million state grant to pay for half of the district’s instructional coaches’ salary would save $1.2 million this year as well, Gardner said.

Next year, the district can take $800,000 from reading coach allocations – which is now partially funded through the state – and shift it into the general fund, which allows the district to save $3.1 million over two years, Gardner said.

Though the school board did not vote on the motions, Board Chairman Joe DeFeo suggested making a new motion that would keep class sizes the same and rescind the initial two motions.

“I would support not increasing class size, but what I most support is putting this to bed and not pushing it back,” DeFeo said.

The only concern DeFeo has about not increasing classes, he said, was the district’s ability to pay for new programs without cutting anything.

“We’ve been adding several million dollars into our budget, and we need to stop adding without cutting,” he said.

The average class size for area middle schools is about 25 students, and the high school average ranges from 21 to 26, Gardner said. The larger schools, such as Carolina Forest High, usually have much larger classes than a small school such as Green Sea Floyds, he said.

The board will take the issue back up at it’s next meeting in January.

This story was originally published December 14, 2015 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Horry County Board of Education leaning toward keeping class sizes stable."