BREA : Waiver Sought for Class Size Penalty

The Brea Olinda Unified School District is hoping the State Board of Education will excuse its failure to keep class sizes down.

Because several first-, second- and third-grade classrooms at Mariposa, William E. Fanning and Brea Country Hills elementary schools were overcrowded during this school year, the district faces a penalty of $90,698.

To avoid the penalty, the district this week unanimously voted to ask the state to waive the charges though district officials acknowledge having exceeded class size limits set by state law.

The penalty is calculated by adding up the revenue, which the state pays the district annually, for each student exceeding the maximum 30 pupils per class. In the Brea Olinda district, classes exceeded the maximum capacity by a total of 27 students. The largest class had 33 students in it, school officials said. Each student accounts for $3,359 in revenue, officials said.

District officials expect a decision from the state in September.

Supt. Edgar Z. Seal said he expects the state to grant the district’s request to waive the penalty because Brea Olinda is taking action to reduce class size.

Come the 1994-95 school year, the district plans to lower the maximum limit of pupils in first-, second- and third-grade classrooms to 28 per class. Board members unanimously approved the move Monday.

“Our attitude shouldn’t be how to get a waiver but how to reduce class size,” Trustee Todd A. Spitzer said.