Let’s Talk About: Class Sizes in Special Education

The Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) has a law (160-4-7-.14) that specifies class sizes by program for special education. 

Maximum class size:

Pre-Kindergarten (required to have 1 teacher & 1 paraprofessional):

• Full day: 8

• Part day: 12

• Community: N/A

Intellectual Disabilities (ID):

• Mild ID self-contained or resource: 10 (without a para); 13 (with a para)

• Moderate ID self-contained, must have a para: 11

• Severe ID self-contained, must have a para: 7

• Profound ID self-contained, must have a para: 6

Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD):

• Self-contained: 8 (without para); 11 (with para)

• Resource EBD: 7 (without para); 10 (with para)

Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD):

• Self-contained: 12 (without para); 16 (with para)

• Resource SLD: 8 (without para); 10 (with para)

Visual Impairments (VI):

• Self-contained, must have a para: 6

• Resource VI: 3 (without para); 4 (with para)

Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH):

• Self-contained: 6 (without para); 8 (with para)

• Resource DHH: 3 (without para); 4 (with para)

Deaf/Blind:

• Self-contained, must have para: 6 

Speech-Language Impairments (SLI):

• Self-contained: 11 (without para); 15 (with para)

• Resource SLI: 7 (without para)

Orthopedic Impairments (OI):

• Self-contained, must have para: 11

• Resource OI: 4 (without para); 5 (with para)

Are you wondering why your child’s class size is larger than the state of GA legally allows? 

There are a couple of reasons.  

1. Each paraprofessional equals ⅓ teacher and affects individual class size.  Three paras are the maximum number that can be used to increase the maximum class size for any special education class. But with three paras comes double the class size. 

2. The Department of Education extends a waiver allowing school districts to exceed the class size limits. The local school board votes on whether its district will use the waiver. 

• This waiver is for one school year. It is only given if there is a “financial exigency” (circumstances that cause a shortfall in state funding for the operation of local school systems compared to the projected expenditures) that would negatively impact the schools' operation. 

What can you do about it? Speak up!

• Email your school district’s board and tell them your thoughts. 

• Speak at your school district’s board meeting about class sizes.

• Email your state’s board of education and share your thoughts. 

• Email your principal and share your thoughts.