CYPRESS : School District to Increase Class Sizes

With state funding going down, class sizes in the Cypress School District will be going up next year.

The elementary district’s school board has approved a fiscal year budget that calls for increasing average class size from 26.5 students last year to 29 students in the coming school year, Supt. William D. Eller said.

“This will be the third year the state has not provided a cost-of-living increase,” Eller said. He added that the state’s per pupil funding for Cypress School District will be less than the previous year.

Cypress School District is having to make budget cuts despite growing enrollment. The district projects enrollment will increase from last year’s 4,250 students to about 4,350 students next year.

The 1994-95 budget unanimously approved by the school board Tuesday predicts about $17.8 million in income, an increase of about $100,000 over the previous school year.

But Eller said the slight growth in income does not cover the increased costs for employee benefits, school materials and other escalating expenses. The school district is giving teachers a 1% pay increase next year.