Reduced Class Sizes Isn’t the Norm in Irvine

Re “Deep Budget Cuts Finally Hit Irvine Schools Hard,” Jan. 27.

I just wish to set the record straight about class sizes in Irvine Unified School District. Your paper has been saying that Irvine will have to do away with class-size reduction in grades kindergarten, second, and third. Kindergarten has never had 20 on the roll.

This is my 30th year teaching kindergarten in this district and I have never had only 20 in my class. I now have 33 boys and girls that I am teaching to read, to write in sentences, to learn the addition and subtraction facts, as well as those developmental skills 4- and 5-year-olds are supposed to be working on.

I have 33 report cards to complete, 33 parent conferences, and 33 little people that I am responsible for each day. It is time that our neighborhoods get the correct information about our class sizes.

Sandy Rushing

Kindergarten Teacher

Meadow Park School

Irvine Unified School District