The Palo Alto school board has altered the district's policy on desired school size to make it conform more closely with reality.
The old policy, last changed in the 1970s, called for elementary schools to have an optimal size of 400-650 students, and secondary schools to have an optimal size of 1,200 to 1,800 students. Those large numbers were chosen back then as schools were being closed and merged and newer, larger schools were created.
But for years now, the pendulum has been swinging back to smaller elementary schools and slightly smaller middle schools.
The board needed to make the policy change now to assist two groups. One is discussing the bond construction master plan and the other is looking at whether to open a 12th elementary school.
The new modified policy, approved 5-0 by the school board last month, calls for a "desired range" of school size at each level.
For elementary schools, the optimal size now is 300-450 students. Middle schools should have between 900 and 1,200 students. High schools should have between 1,200 and 1,800 students.
As of September 1995, the 11 elementary schools ranged in size from 347 to 417 students. Jordan Middle School had 939 students, and JLS slightly more, at 997. Gunn and Palo Alto high schools are almost even, with 1,281 at Gunn and 1,280 at Paly.
Board member Don Way suggested separating middle and high schools, since the two have varying student populations, rather than lumping them together. The rest of the board agreed, although board member Susie Richardson objected to discussing changes secondary school numbers with minimal public discussion.
"I didn't have a serious disagreement with the policy. I just didn't like the process," Richardson said. She still voted in favor of making the changes.
--Elizabeth Darling
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