West Contra Costa Unified School District

K-3 Class Size Reduction Program

April 1, 2009

The 2009-10 Budget which was adopted by the State Legislature includes a major change in the
K-3 Class Size Reduction Program (CSR). The new implementation language provides a
window for alternative implementation of Class Size Reduction that still provides smaller class
sizes than required by Education Code, yet can save substantial money for cash strapped
districts.

The K-3 CSR program is considered a Tier I program, meaning that the funding is not scheduled
to be reduced, nor can it be used for other purposes. The difference between it and the other
programs in Tier I resides in the implementation language now in law. The enactment of this
new K-3 CSR language is embedded in the budget act specifically because of the funding cuts
that districts are facing. By taking advantage of the alternative implementation models, the
District can save substantial funds which help to offset the deficit spending in 2009-10.

Under the previous program implementation language, penalties were applied as follows

Class Size Reduction (Penalty) %

20.45 to 20.94 20%
20.95 to 21.44 40%
21.45 to 21.84 80%
21.85 and over 100%

The new program provides the following

Class Size Reduction (Penalty) %

20.45 to 21.44 5%
21.45 to 22.44 10%
22.45 to 22.94 15%
22.95 to 24.94 20%
24.95 or more 30%

Based upon enrollment estimates for the 2009-10 school year, savings can be captured by
implementing Class Size Reduction using the following options.

Implementation Levels Savings FTE

Option One Grades K through 3 at 24:1 $1,840,000 84.0
Option Two Grades K, 1 and 2 at 20:1, Grade 3 $2,200,000 43.0
at 28:1
Option Three Grade K at 24:1, Grades 1 and 2 at $2,950,000 67.0
20:1, Grade 3 at 28:1
Option Four Grades K and 3 at 28:1, Grades 1 $4,000,000 94.0
and 2 at 20:1