Class Size

Overview

Current legislation mandates the maximum number of students in each core class would be:

• 18 students in prekindergarten through grade 3;
• 22 students in grades 4 through 8; and
• 25 students in grades 9 through 12.

Schools marked as "Schools of Choice" in the Master School ID file will have class size computed at the school-level, all others will be at the class room level.

The purpose of this article is to outline how class size works and how to use the Class Size Report in Florida Reports in Focus.

Note: Before you can use the Class Size report in Focus for the new school year, MIS staff MUST run the Florida Reports Setup > Florida Files > Master School Identification File so Focus knows if the school uses an average or class room level class size.  The Florida Reports Setup > Florida Files > Course Code Directory for the applicable school year should also be downloaded to link the report to the course catalog.

Note: Before running the Class Size Report, the Course Catalog must be set up, which must contain data for the Core for Class Size field. Yes must be selected in the Core for Class Size field in order for the Course to be pulled into the report.  FISH data must be accurate as well. This can be reviewed via Setup > Resource Scheduler/Rooms.

Class Size Logic

Class size key fields for grouping are:

• School of Instruction
• FISH
• Term
• Period

The following are excluded from class size:

• Classes that are not scheduled to meet on Fridays - Note: If an ENTIRE school has no core courses scheduled then this does not apply. This also does not apply to schools not operating on Friday
  during Survey Week due to holiday or planning day. 
• Blended Learning classes
• Postsecondary courses
• Classes checked as Pull-Out (note: if you check pull-out on the class, FOCUS will send the period as NN88 where NN is the period short name. This flags it as a nonstandard meeting time courses to which the student is assigned for classes that meet differing periods during the week.
• Facility Types =
  • 02 (Hospital)
  • 05 (State Correctional)
  • 06 (Federal Correctional)
  • 07 (County Correctional)
  • 08 (City Correctional)
  • 10 (Home)
• School Numbers =
  • 3518 (McKay)
  • 7001, 7004, 7006, 7023 (Virtual)
  • 9994-9997 (Reportable Programs)
  • N998 (home education)
  • N999 (Out-of-state or nonpublic)
• District =
  • 68 (FSDB)
  • 71 (FLVS)
• School Function Setting =
  • D (DJJ)
  • V (Virtual)

Class Size & Rotation Schedule

DOE does NOT make reductions for the class size calculation for rotations beyond a 2-day rotation.

You can get the total divided by 2 by using the scheduling method "A-Alternating Week Schedule" on those sections.

Focus Class Size Report

The Class Size Report helps identifying errors with FISH room numbers, class size/seats, assigned scheduling methods, and more. 

From the Florida Reports menu, select Class Size Report.

The first option is to set a Refresh Date. Select the month, day, and year from the provided pull-downs or click the Calendar icon. Once set, click the Refresh Date button. The report will pull data based on the active student enrollments and the active schedules based on the date selected. (Note exclusions listed above still apply)

Selecting the Only show rooms over class size check box displays only the periods over class size and conflicting scheduling methods.

Data will only be pulled for the selected school. If needed, to pull data for all schools, select the check box to display data for All Schools. If All Schools is selected, a School column is added to the report.

Select the Display Grade Level Ranges check box to display the From/To grade ranges for each specified room/period combination.

Just below the reports filtering options, you are given class room size averages per high school, middle school, etc.  If you are viewing the report for a middle school that offers high school courses, you will see an average for both middle school and high school as they are figured separately.

In order to comprehend the Class Size Report, it is important to review the legend provided in the upper right corner of the screen.

S: Self-contained: One teacher provides total instruction for the entire class. Adds the number of students in the sections in the same room and the same period together.

B: Block Scheduling: Course is scheduled so that students may earn one credit in the course in a semester. Adds the number of students in the sections in the same room the same period together.

G: Ind or Small Group Instruction: Teacher meets with an individual student or small group of students in a separate classroom setting. Adds the number of students in the sections in the same room the same period together.

M: Multi Classroom or Pod: More than one class meets during the same period in a space designated by one FISH number but separated by temporary "walls." Adds the number of students in the sections in the same room the same period together and dividing by 2 (or the number of M's).

A: Alt Week Schedule: Teacher meets with different groups of students in same course/classroom on same day, but alternate weeks. Adds the number of students in the sections in the same room the same period together.

C: Co-teaching: A classroom in which two or more teachers share responsibility for planning, delivering, and evaluating instruction for all students in a class.  In order to be considered co-teaching, this delivery system is provided whenever a class/subject is taught by two or more teachers and must continue for the entire class period. Taking the number of students in the section divided by the sum of (teacher + co-teachers).

I: In class 1-on-1: Teacher meets with an individual student or small group of students on an individualized basis within a traditional classroom but not as a co-teacher. Taking the number of students in the S section and adding half the number of students in the I section.

W: Wheel Class: Same course meets in the same room with the same teacher during the same period on multiple days of the week, but with different groups of students. Adds the number of students in the sections in the same room the same period together.

In viewing the Class Size Report, you will see the Room (FISH) number, the Room Num, and each Period.

You will see a box displayed for each Room number (FISH) and Period. If there are multiple sections scheduled the same period of the day, multiple boxes containing scheduling methods will be displayed. This provides a visual to easily identify incorrect combinations of scheduling methods.

If a period is over the set class size, the number will be displayed in red.

If a yellow yield symbol is displayed, there is invalid data (combination of scheduling methods), which will cause the records to be rejected. You can hover over the symbol to see the error.

Click the boxed scheduling method indicator to open the course in Courses & Sections. From here, you can review Seats in the course, or select the Florida tab and correct the Scheduling Method.

If sections do not appear check the following areas:

1. Course Catalog

2. Ensure the section is not excluded from FTE via Scheduling > Courses & Sections > Florida tab > Exclude from FTE.

3. Review the Scheduling Method and ensure that G - Individual or Small Group Instruction is not selected (Scheduling > Courses & Sections > Florida tab).

The report is based on FISH numbers. If there are errors in room numbers or with FISH numbers, this report will not properly display. Please refer to the Teacher Course tab of the DOE Data Verification Reports for FISH errors.

Class Size Reporting

DOE allows for 3 trial runs of class size before each Survey period.  All districts may participate in trial runs and should take advantage of this opportunity to reduce data reporting errors or appropriately adjust class rooms before survey processing begins.

Trial runs require that you submit Student Course Schedule (SCRS) and Teacher Course Schedule (TCRS) formats (do NOT send the demographics format). DOE will process over the weekend and have reports ready Monday morning. During actual Survey processing, the class size results reports will be ready each Monday morning.

Download report F70408 to see the overall summary results.

Download report F70415 to see the detail by school, by building/room.

Download reports using Florida Reports > Download DOE & Error Reports.

After each trial run, all data are deleted and districts must submit new initial files for the next trial run. Similarly, after the third trial run, all data are deleted and districts must submit new initial files for Survey 2.

Survey 2 is the most important and is the survey which “counts” as far as compliance. Final Survey 2 data (December) are used to determine compliance with class size maximums. Survey 2 Class Size Trial Runs typically take place in September.