Aberdeen School District officials are considering three different plans to reduce student-to-teacher ratios for classes from kindergarten through third grades in order to comply with state policies.

A new state education policy set to take effect in the upcoming school year requires all schools to have no more than 17 students per teacher in all K-3 classes. Aberdeen is currently not meeting that ratio, with a reported 19.08 students per teacher.

Not meeting the class sizes would result in the district receiving $600,000 less in apportioned state funding, but the three options that would put the district in compliance carry their own additional costs. These options include purchasing three portables for elementary schools, moving all sixth grades to Miller Junior High, and “banding” schools by grade levels.

In a presentation during last week’s school board meeting, the district’s Executive Director of Business and Operations Elyssa Louderback went over the pros and cons of the options.

One of the options, to band schools by grade, could require some major shifts for families and their students in grades K-6. At last week’s meeting, Superintendent Alicia Henderson suggested a plan that would move all kindergarten students to Central Park Elementary, thus eliminating higher grades in Central Park and redestributing them to other elementary schools. Henderson later explained the move, which will be voted on at this upcoming Tuesday board meeting.

“What we presented at the board meeting was having all kindergarten at Central Park, first, second and third grades at two of our schools, and fourth through sixth at two of our other schools,” said Henderson. “But that’s just one option for how schools could be banded, by no means is it the only way. If there was a decision to move forward with banding, it would certainly be cost efficient, but it would have an impact on the community aspect of schools.”

Henderson went on to say that while the board will be voting on whether to implement the idea of banding schools or another option at Tuesday’s meeting, board members could also decide to delay the decision, or eliminate one of the options.

Those who wish to comment on these changes can attend Tuesday’s 5 p.m. board meeting in the Community Room of Aberdeen High School, where there will be two public comment sessions. The board will also be reviewing feedback from community members and staff about class reduction proposals at that meeting.

According to the presentation, purchasing portables would cause the least disruption to families, which otherwise may need to switch students to different schools in the case of banding grades or moving sixth grade students to Miller. The total cost of three portables is estimated to be $600,000.

Another significant difference would be a need to re-assign teachers to different grade levels. Regardless of which of the three options is picked, Superintendent Henderson said that some teachers would be asked to shift down grades in order to meet the ratio.

This would mean some fourth-sixth grade teachers being sent down to K-third classes, seventh-eighth grade teachers sent down to fourth-sixth, and high school teachers being sent down to middle school. This would also require training for the teachers being reassigned, and could require hiring new teachers.

Board members said they hope to get more feedback from school staff before selecting one of the options, but acknowledged they would need to make a decision soon if it were to be implemented by the upcoming school year. Henderson said the district would work to get more comments from staff and other community members about the option.

“What you have here is pretty black and white, the numbers,” said Henderson. “So getting a sentiment from staff, and the community might help, as well as getting the final word on the state bills.”