The class-size limÂits herÂaldÂed as a key facÂet of the new St. Paul public schools teachers contract are comÂpliÂcatÂing efÂforts to boost enÂrollÂment and bluntÂing an inÂitiaÂtive deÂsigned to inÂteÂgrate some of the district's most popuÂlar schools.
That initiative, ReÂflectÂing St. Paul, was launched this school year and seeks to open seats in 11 schools to stuÂdents from neighborhoods with lowÂer inÂcomes, highÂer perÂcentÂages of non-EngÂlish-speakÂing families and lowÂer test scores.
Under the program, the stuÂdents, many from miÂnorÂiÂty groups, are enÂtiÂtled to one-fifth of the availÂable seats in each school. AÂvailÂaÂbilÂiÂty hingÂes on how many seats remain open afÂter first beÂing alÂloÂcatÂed to chilÂdren livÂing within each of the reÂspecÂtive school comÂmuÂniÂties.
With the new class-size limÂits, however, the schools had fewer seats to beÂgin with in planÂning for the 2014-15 school year. For ReÂflectÂing St. Paul, in particular, the school-choice lottery results, as of last week, reveal a 41 percent deÂcline in stuÂdent placeÂment at the 11 schools — from 378 stuÂdents in April 2013 to 222 stuÂdents this year.
District ofÂfiÂcials say that beÂcause the teachÂer conÂtract talks coÂinÂcidÂed with the school-seÂlecÂtion procÂess already underway for famiÂlies, there was no time afÂter a setÂtleÂment was reached in late February to change rules govÂernÂing the lotÂterÂy sysÂtem — if any chanÂges were deÂsired. They also were quick to not asÂsign blame.
"This is noÂbodÂy's fault," Superintendent VaÂlerÂiÂa Silva told school board memÂbers reÂcentÂly.
ShrinkÂing class sizes is "someÂthing we as a comÂmuniÂty wantÂed to do," said Jackie TurÂner, the disÂtrict's chief enÂgageÂment ofÂfiÂcer.
The push to lock in lowÂer class-size limÂits proved a viÂtal ralÂlyÂing point for the St. Paul Federation of Teachers. ParÂents backed the unÂion in events outÂside schools and disÂtrict headquarters. A FaceÂbook group, "I Stand With SPFT," topped 1,500 memÂbers.
ReÂflectÂing St. Paul stuÂdents account for a small perÂcentÂage of overÂall enÂrollÂment in the St. Paul disÂtrict, the state's seÂcond-largÂest with 37,756 stuÂdents.
Jim HilÂbert, exÂecÂuÂtive diÂrecÂtor of the Center for NeÂgoÂtiÂaÂtion and Justice at WilÂliam Mitchell College of Law, was tapped by the disÂtrict to serve on a group that adÂvised it on inÂteÂgraÂtion isÂsues as it launched Silva's Strong Schools, Strong ComÂmuÂniÂties straÂtegic plan, which placed new emÂphaÂsis on neighÂborÂhood schools.
It's a 'start'
EarliÂer this year, he said, the disÂtrict supÂplied him with data showÂing 447 stuÂdents eÂvenÂtuÂalÂly were placed at the 11 schools this year unÂder the ReÂflectÂing St. Paul inÂitiaÂtive. Out of nearÂly 38,000 stuÂdents, 447 is a small numÂber, he notÂed, but it is a "start," he said.
He added, however, that he was disÂapÂpointÂed with the 2014-15 proÂjecÂtions.
"It's a step away from the comÂmitÂment they made to reÂduce segÂreÂgaÂtion," HilÂbert said.
Said Jeff MarÂtin, presÂiÂdent of the NAACP's St. Paul chapÂter, "We are not preÂparÂing chilÂdren for the world if it's in a hoÂmoÂgeÂneÂous classÂroom."
In deÂcidÂing who can fill which classroom seats where, the disÂtrict adÂoptÂed enÂrollÂment criÂteria with six priÂorÂiÂty levÂels. Students who fall withÂin ReÂflectÂing St. Paul paÂramÂeÂters have seÂcond priÂorÂiÂty, ahead of chilÂdren of disÂtrict employees, for exÂamÂple, and behind only those stuÂdents who livÂe withÂin a school's geographic boundary.
In 2013-14, acÂcordÂing to the data proÂvidÂed to HilÂbert, 34 stuÂdents in the ReÂflectÂing St. Paul program were placed at Randolph Heights ElÂeÂmenÂtaÂry, where 72 percent of stuÂdents are white and 26 percent qualÂiÂfy for free or reÂduced-price lunchÂes, according to state data.
UnÂder the new conÂtract, which trimÂs kinÂderÂgarÂten class sizes from 30 to 26 stuÂdents, Randolph Heights will have 78 kindergarten seats availÂable for 2014-15 across three secÂtions. Seventy-two were spokÂen for beÂfore ReÂflectÂing St. Paul stuÂdents could qualÂiÂfy for one of the reÂmainÂing six seats, TurÂner said.
"Should ReÂflectÂing St. Paul come first?" she wonÂdered aÂloud durÂing a reÂcent interÂview.
That discussion, she said, would involve school board memÂbers, the teachÂers unÂion and the comÂmuniÂty at large. Board Member Jean O'ConÂnell, who was chairÂwoman durÂing the fiÂnal two years of Strong Schools, Strong ComÂmuÂniÂties planÂning, said that board members needÂed school-choice lotÂterÂy reÂsults beÂfore they could conÂsider moves such as creating adÂdiÂtionÂal classroom space or chanÂging school bounÂdarÂies.
TurÂner said that she exÂpects those disÂcusÂsions to take place in 2014-15. Total enÂrollÂment is likely to be on the aÂgenÂda, too.
Silva, who has made enÂrollÂment growth a priÂorÂiÂty of her Strong Schools, Strong ComÂmuÂniÂties plan, said last week that hopes for an enrollment inÂcrease in 2014-15 will be "difÂfiÂcult to meet."
Anthony Lonetree • 651-925-5036