Administrative Services
 Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services—
James Garwood
Phone: 847-963-3202
E-mail: garwoodj@ccsd15.net
Oversees student home school attendance assignments, student suspensions,
notification of scheduling and other information to nonpublic schools,
technology programs, informational services, use of housing development
information, emergency preparedness, and student services. Also
serves as ombudsman, and participates in daily operations of the
district in concert with the superintendent.
The Student Assignment Plan
The 2007-2008 Student Assignment Plan provides information regarding class size by grade level and school across the district. Class sizes are determined by the process outlined below:
The board of education has set average class size targets for Grades 1-3 at 24 students, for Grades 4-6 at 26 students, and for Grades 7-8 at 28 students for “core” classes (Literature, History and Language Arts) (See 2007-08 Regular Education Average Class Size by Grade).
The process for determining class sizes begins in the spring when the assistant superintendent for administrative services projects enrollment for the following year by rolling current grade level enrollment up to the next grade level. To determine the number of classrooms allocated to each building, enrollment totals are divided by 24 for Grades 1-3, by 26 at Grades 4-6, and 28 at Grades 7-8. The numbers generated by these calculations form the starting point, not the final determination, in the ongoing process of determining how many classrooms each building will have. Principals take their total building allotment of classrooms back to their staff and engage in the shared decision-making process to determine how many classrooms will be at each grade level for the following year. In April, building principals hand their building student assignment plan to the assistant superintendent for administrative services for final approval. The district Student Assignment Plan is then created for presentation to the board in May/June. Due to changes over the summer and into the first week of school, the Student Assignment Plan is a tentative document. Enrollment numbers are carefully monitored in August, starting with walk-in registration and up until the 6th day statewide enrollment audit to determine if there are significant increases or decreases in enrollment that warrant changes in the number of classrooms. Additionally, class sizes are monitored for significant changes throughout the course of the year.
It is important to note that individual classrooms may be below, at, or above the three grade band (1-3, 4-6, 7-8) target averages depending upon the outcome of the building shared decision-making process. The administration and board of education makes every attempt to maintain class sizes at or below the board targets while remaining fiscally responsible. (See Historical Number of Sections with Class-Size Averages 1998-2008.)
Kindergarten
The enrollment numbers from the Student Assignment Plan do not include kindergarten students. While many incoming kindergartners register at the April kindergarten registration day and continue to come in until the end of the year, a great many do not register until August. During the month of August, kindergarten enrollment at each school is monitored to determine the number of kindergarten classes. The target number for average class size for kindergarten classes is 24 students.
Bilingual Classrooms
Illinois School Code stipulates the following regarding bilingual classroom size: “The student-teacher ratio in the ESL and native language components of programs shall not exceed 90% of the average student-teacher ratio in general education classes for the same grades in that attendance center.”
Special Education Classrooms
Special education classrooms are required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) not to exceed certain enrollment levels depending upon the type of program. |
